


A Year in America

by Kitsune_Moonstar



Series: A Year In America [1]
Category: Hellsing, X-Men Evolution
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-18
Updated: 2013-03-17
Packaged: 2017-12-05 16:18:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 35,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/725306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitsune_Moonstar/pseuds/Kitsune_Moonstar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Council of Twelve has decided that Sir Hellsing would benefit from a chance to finish her education and socialize with her peers without the burden of running Hellsing and send her to the Xavier Institute in New York.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Across the Pond

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Hellsing, X-men, or their characters.

**Across the Pond**

Ororo Monroe waited at JFK's international arrivals for the Institute's newest student to arrive. They didn't know much about Integra Hellsing. Her file was very thin. The daughter of Arthur and Surya Hellsing, she was a child of British nobility. The girl was seventeen years old. She was an orphan, loosing her mother within a year of her birth and her father at age thirteen. She had been under care of another British noble since then, and he had been the one to approach the Institute about Integra attending.

"Miss Monroe?"

Ororo turned to find a young woman with a luggage cart standing behind her. Dressed in a neat grey suit, the young woman was not the teenager she had expected. Long blond hair was neatly braided and pinned up, and a pair of icy blue eyes considered her from behind a pair of wire frame glasses.

"You're Integra, I take it. Welcome to the U.S."

"Thank you." Her voice was soft, carrying a clear British accent.

"Do you need to get something to eat or to go to the bathroom before we leave? It's about an hour's drive to the Institute from here."

"No, thank you."

Integra remained silent as they loaded her suitcases into the van and headed for Bayville. Ororo figured the girl was tired from the trans-Atlantic flight and didn't press her for conversation. Truthfully, she wouldn't know where to start. She only knew the bare facts about Integra Hellsing: age, birth date, grade, family, and point of origin. There had been no information on the girl's interest or even her mutant abilities. When Ororo couldn't stand the silence anymore, she started talking about the Institute.

"We currently have about thirteen students. You'll be the fourteenth. There three girls around your age: Jean, Rogue, and Kitty. You'll be sharing a room with Jean. She's a year older than you are. You'll be attending Bayville High School. The other students know that those who live at the Institute are mutants, so there might be some harassment, but I think we've mostly stamped that out."

They pulled up at the mansion's gate, and Ororo entered the code to admit them. Logan met them at the door.

"Welcome back, Ro. You're just in time for dinner." He looked at Integra, a small frown forming. "You must be the new one."

Integra didn't seem the least bit intimidated by Logan which spoke either of good acting or a great deal of address. Of course, the girl could simply be a fool, but Ororo doubted that.

"Integra Hellsing."

Logan nodded. "I'll bring your things in. Chuck's waiting for you."

They watched the young woman regally make her way inside.

"What do think of her, Logan?"

To her surprise, Logan actually smiled. "I think she's going to surprise everyone."

* * *

Integra was not happy. By all rights, she should be back in England running Hellsing, but no, the Council of Twelve had decided that she needed "an opportunity to focus on her studies and her social skills" that running Hellsing could not provide. She had agreed to go along with the scheme on the advice of Alucard and Walter. It seemed ridiculous to her. She got good marks in all her classes and truly excelled in a few of them, and she didn't have time to waste on parties and such. Keeping Britain safe from the undead left little time for that, but it wasn't like she couldn't function in social settings.

Still, both Alucard and Walter had advised her to go along with it for now. If this was a ploy on the Council's part to take over Hellsing while she was gone, they would learn their lesson. Her people could take care of day to day matters on their own, but they would take orders from no one but her or her designated representative. Hellsing was hers, and it would stay that way. Integra just had to survive a year at the Xavier Institute.

Walter had provided her with a dossier on the Institute's founder, and Integra felt prepared for facing Charles Xavier. She was going to have a hard time convincing the man she wasn't one of these so called "mutants", but at least she had some idea of what to expect.

"Welcome to the Institute, Miss Hellsing."

"Sir Hellsing, please, Professor Xavier," she corrected gently. "Thank you."

The bald man smiled at her. "Of course. I hope you will enjoy your time here. There are a few ground rules I'd like to go over and some questions for you, and then you will be free to join the other students for dinner and settle into your room."

She nodded.

"You will be attending the local high school while you here. Use of your powers on campus is forbidden and will result in your expulsion. You are expected to attend and pass all of your classes. Failure to do so will result in the loss of privileges. Here at the manor you are expected to help out with chores and take part in both team and individual training of your powers." Xavier paused. "I understand you have a cell phone. I would ask that you use it courteously here at the mansion and abide by the school's rules concerning phones. You will be sharing a room and will be expected to at least tolerate your roommate. If you pass the appropriate tests, you may also use the Institute's vehicles."

"Are we allowed to have our own motor vehicle?" That could be a very good thing for her.

"As long as you pass the necessary certifications and pay for the car and its maintenance yourself." Xavier smiled at her. "I do have one question for you, what exactly is your mutation? None of my information covered that."

Integra rose to her feet. "I have none. Any abilities I have are hereditary from my paternal grandfather, and at this point all of them are latent."

"I see." Xavier sighed. "Shall we go down to dinner? You'll have a chance to settle into your room afterwards."

Dinner was survivable. Integra was introduced to the group, and dinner was served. Thankfully, the excuse of jet lag seemed to keep anyone from expecting much conversation from her. A number of the students introduced themselves to her, and Integra used the opportunity to fix names with faces. Walter had been able to give her a file on most of the students here, but it had been lacking in pictures. But by the time the meal was over, Integra was ready for a well deserved rest. She could unpack tomorrow. School wouldn't be starting for another week, so there was plenty of time.

Once the dessert had been served, Integra was approached by Jean Grey, her new roommate.

"I'll show you our room. Logan's already brought all your luggage up."

Integra just nodded and followed her. It was clear that Jean had the place to herself until now. The second bed, over by the window Integra noted, looked slightly out of place, and it was obvious that things had been taken off the walls to make space for Integra. Her suitcases sat neatly piled at the foot of her bed. With a soft sigh, she extracted a nightgown and robe as well as her make-up bag.

"The bathroom is where?"

"Just down the hall, Integra. We share it with Kitty and Rogue, so you may have to wait."

"Thank you." She tamped down to urge to correct Jean's form of address. Familiarity was something she allowed only to a trusted few in her organization. Being called by her first names by strangers would take some getting used to.

Teeth brushed and dressed in a soft nightgown, Integra settled on her bed with her phone. It would be late back in Britain, but Hellsing's day would just be starting. She hesitated before drawing a small stuffed animal out of her bag. It was a black dog with red eyes, and had anyone in Britain asked, she would not admit to owning it. The plush toy had been a gag gift from her roommate at Roslyn Academy. Elspeth Stewart was fully aware of Integra's duties as head of Hellsing and of the existence of her pet vampire. Given the girl had the second sight, it would have been nearly impossible for her to miss it. The hound had been a gift for her fourteenth birthday and typically lived at school.

She flipped open the phone and hit the speed dial.

"Sir Integra?"

"Hello, Walter. How are things this evening?"

"Quiet so far. I take it you have arrived in New York safely."

"I'm at the Xavier Institute now. Things are as well as can be expected."

"Will you be needing anything in the immediate future, Sir Integra? Your weapon permits have been sent to the proper authorities, so there should be no problem arming you."

Integra bit her lip. "I think I'll wait on that, Walter. I haven't broached the subject with Professor Xavier yet, and I think I should try to get permission from him first. If that doesn't work, I'll make other arrangements. I will, however, need some sort of motor transportation. The Professor said I was allowed that as long as I passed the certifications and took care of the maintenance costs myself."

"I'll see what I can put together for you, Sir Integra. Alucard would like to speak to you."

She sighed. "Put him on."

"And how is my master this evening?"

"Alucard."

"I just wanted to hear my master's voice. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Alucard, I'm fine. You should know that." She had deliberately left her mind slightly open to him. The bond between them was weakened by their distance, but Alucard would know had anything happened to her.

"Remember, master, should you need me, you have but to call."

"I know, Alucard. Behave while I'm gone."

"When do I not, my master?"

Walter reclaimed the phone. "I'll send you weekly reports of Hellsing's activities, Sir Integra, and should there be any major developments, I'll contact you immediately."

"Thank you, Walter. Good night."

"Good night, Sir Integra."

Integra set both the phone and her glasses on the night stand and slipped under the covers. Her roommate had disappeared off somewhere, but she was too tired to care. She switched off the bedside lamp. Hugging the stuffed hound close, Integra closed her eyes and waited for sleep.


	2. Fitting In

**Fitting In**

Integra woke with the dawn. She sighed when she saw the clock. She was still on British time, and unfortunately, once awake she knew she wouldn't find sleep again. Instead, the young woman slipped from her bed, retrieving slippers and a robe from her open suitcase. She also fished out a packet that Walter had insisted on packing for her. He had been concerned about her being able to find a proper cup of tea in this land of coffee drinkers and had sent several of his own blends with her.

Making her way down to the mansion's kitchen, Integra found herself rather pleased with her solitude. It gave her a chance to sort out her thoughts and impressions so far. She managed to find a decent tea set in the kitchen and set about preparing a proper pot of tea. This was a very odd household as far as she could tell. Integra had yet to figure out exactly how the hierarchy here worked. It was clear that Professor Xavier was the head of the Institute, but where everyone else fit in was still a mystery.

She sighed. She belonged back in Britain. Oh, Integra was sure that Walter and Alucard could run Hellsing perfectly well in her absence, but Hellsing was where she belonged. Even at her school back home, Integra had found she was far too adult to easily fit in with others her own age and too adult for most adults to really be comfortable with her. In Britain that didn't matter much. Her duty was paramount, and everyone understood that.

That was not the case here. It was clear that the council had not informed Professor Xavier just who she was or the position she held. The man had no idea that she had been running a government organization since she was thirteen and dealt with vampires on a regular basis. He also was clearly convinced that she was one of these "mutants", and Integra doubted she could convince him otherwise.

"That smells lovely, Integra." Ororo Munroe stood in the doorway. "What sort of tea is that?"

She checked the card Walter had included. "It's a blend of Darjeeling White and Ceylon White. My butler has a flair creating tea blends. Would you like a cup, Ms. Munroe?"

"That would be lovely. And either Storm or Ororo is fine."

Silence descended upon the kitchen once more as they sipped the tea. Integra found herself studying the older woman. So far, she had been one of the more normal individuals here at the Institute. The nickname "Storm" didn't seem to fit her serene personality, but then Integra had yet to see her use her abilities. According to Walter's research, the woman had some sort of control over the weather.

A grumbling storm cloud of man shattered the tranquility of the kitchen, making a beeline for the coffeemaker. Integra shook her head. As far as she could tell, Logan appeared to be the Institute's version of Alucard. He was a very toned down version, but it was clear to her at least that if it came down to a real fight, the man was Xavier's greatest weapon. Of course, it wasn't until he downed at least two cups of coffee that he resembled something remotely human.

Dark eyes fixed on her, and Integra met his gaze calmly.

"I'll need to know what sort of training you've had. And don't bother telling me you haven't had any. Everything in the way you move gives it away." Logan frowned at her. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you're military personnel."

Integra smiled. "Most of my training was done by either military special forces or regular military. I am competent in hand to hand combat, though it is not my strongest area of ability. I am a nationally ranked sabre fencer and have been trained to use the sabre for actually fighting, not just sport fencing. I have extensive training in marksmanship with small arms as well as weapons permits valid in both the United States and Britain. I currently do not have firearms with me, but my personal preferences are for the Holland & Holland Royal Deluxe Double Rifle, the Walther PPK, and the Beretta 93R. I am also a licensed driver in Britain and can operate most motor vehicles."

"What about you powers?"

She sighed. "I have no mutant abilities. I have been schooled in the occult and magical rituals, but most of that requires more preparation than is useful."

She also controlled one of the most powerful vampires in existence, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

Logan raised an eyebrow. "I see. I want to see you in the Danger Room after lunch today, and you'll start training with the others tomorrow."

Integra nodded. "Understood. Is there some sort of protocol for breakfast?"

Storm shook her head. "Just help yourself to whatever you would like."

Breakfast didn't take her long to fix. Integra wasn't in the mood for anything more complicated than toast and tea. She was just finishing up when the first of the other students started trickling in. Rather than dealing with a bunch of surly half awake teenagers, Integra opted to change into real clothes and get a start on unpacking. She was halfway through her suitcase when her roommate barged in.

"So what are you going to do today?" Jean perched on her bed.

"I have an appointment with Mister Logan after lunch. I also need to speak with Professor Xavier about what the driver's license requirements are in New York." She hung up the last of her suits. "I should probably also find out what sort of supplies will be needed for school."

Integra turned to find Jean frowning at her closet. "Don't you have any normal clothes?"

She raised an eyebrow. "These are normal clothes. I wear my uniform at school and the suits at home. I typically only need formal wear for special events and audiences with the Queen."

"I mean stuff like what you're wearing."

Integra looked down at the jeans and t-shirt. "I think I have another t-shirt. Other than that, no. Nothing I do requires this sort of thing."

Jean looked horrified. "You're joking."

"Of course not."

"We have got to take you shopping."

Integra ignored that. With the clothes taken care, that just left her personal items. She hadn't brought much with her, just a few books, some jewelry, a laptop, and her fencing gear. She didn't know if Bayville had a salle, but at least she could practice on her own. With any luck, she would be able to add her firearms to the list and find a gun range to practice at. It wouldn't do to get out of practice just because she was away from Hellsing. The laptop was mostly for work, but she and Walter had agreed it wouldn't be a prudent means of communication given the unreliability of have a secure connection to the internet. Still, she would be able to do her school work on it, and on the off chance that she needed to make an official report of some sort, she would have everything she needed.

"So what do you do for fun, Integra? Shopping? Music? Any sports?"

"I fence, but I'm not a serious competitor. I don't really have time for hobbies."

"Nonsense. It's not like you work or anything. You and your friends must do something for fun."

Integra paused. "When my father died, I was left to take over the family business. I have been running the Hellsing Organization since I was thirteen. It does not leave me much time for hobbies and friends."

That seemed to shut Jean up. Integra managed to finish unpacking and escape from her roommate before she found her voice again. Not in the mood to deal with any of the other students, she decided to familiarize herself with the Institute's grounds. They were pleasant enough, but it wasn't home. She made note of the security arrangements. They weren't bad, not up to Hellsing standards, but at least she wouldn't have to worry about anti-mutant mobs breaking in without some warning.

"I didn't take you for a nature lover."

One of the other two girls her age was perched in one of the magnolia trees. She had a soft accent which meant she was Rogue.

Integra shrugged. "It's better than being threatened with shopping trips."

That prompted a half smile. "At least you know it's a threat. Just to warn you, there will probably be a shopping trip. The Professor gives every one a stipend to decorate their rooms with if they don't bring anything with them."

"I see." She studied the other girl. She had clearly gothic leanings given her make-up and dress. The long sleeves and gloves were clearly practical given Rogue's powers operated through skin contact. "Do you like it here?"

Rogue shrugged. "It's better than some of the other places I could be."

"True." Integra considered Rogue a moment. "Would it be possible to recruit your help in making any future shopping trips as short as possible?"

"I take it you're not another mall fan."

Integra wrinkled her nose. "I don't think I've ever been to a mall more than once. Mostly the only think I go shopping for is books. I would like to make this as quick and painless as possible."

Rogue nodded. "All right then. I think I can help with that, but I expect a hand when I need it."

"I believe that will be acceptable." Integra sighed. "I should go see the Professor before lunch and my appointment with Mister Logan."

"Good Luck. You're going to need it for the Danger Room."

The talk with the Professor did not prove profitable. At least, not on the important points. He had been very adamant about her not having any guns at the Institute. On a less serious note, but still irritating, Bayville High School did not have school uniforms, and she would be needing casual clothes for school. At least Integra now had a list of items she would need for school. On the downside, Xavier had suggested that she let Jean and the others take her to the mall after her Danger Room session, so she could get everything she needed and get to know the other girls a little.

Her Danger Room session was almost a pleasure after that. It was at least something Integra was familiar with. Between Alucard and Walter, she kept in very good combat fitness most of the time. She would have preferred being given weapons, but Integra was quite pleased with how she did. Logan had been suitably impressed with her abilities. It would have been nice to be tested on marksmanship or something else that she actually used on a regular basis, but at least she would be improving her hand to hand skills at this rate.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at the Bayville mall fending off Kitty and Jean's attempts to give her wardrobe a makeover. Integra resisted. She ended up with a collection of things that were similar enough to the school uniforms in Britain that Integra felt she would be comfortable with. Both Rogue and Kitty proved somewhat helpful when it came to choosing some "casual clothes" that the three girls insisted she needed, even if Kitty's tastes ran a little too pink for Integra's liking. Unfortunately, none of them seemed to appreciate her taste in décor. Though Rogue did share her literary tastes to some extent, and Integra found that most of her room decorating funds were spent on books.

It wasn't a particularly pleasant trip, but Integra managed, and at least she learned a thing or two about the group dynamic between the girls. After all, Walter could be right that this year would provide her with an excellent chance to practice and study diplomacy. Dinner was had at the food court after which Jean suggested they go see the new movie that had just come out. Integra had never heard of it and begged off, citing exhaustion and jet lag as her reason. Rogue joined her, and the two young women made their way back to the Institute.

"So, what do you think so far? You've survived a day at the X Mansion, if a rather uneventful one." Rogue flashed her a grin. "Just wait until we get a busy day."

"I would rather be home," Integra admitted, "but I'll manage. I will say it is slightly more relaxing than what I would be doing at home."

That was an understatement. She'd had twenty-four hours without an obnoxious vampire hassling her at all, and there had yet to be an emergency of any sort. It was actually rather dull. Still, Integra could survive this for a year. At least, it might end up reducing her stress levels.


	3. Back to School

**Back to School**

"Are you ready yet, Integra?"

Integra closed her eyes and invoked patience. She dealt with an obnoxious vampire on a regular patience. She should be getting used to the other students at the Xavier Institute by now. It had been two weeks. Grabbing her messenger bag, Integra sighed.

"I'm coming, Jean."

They were meeting with the principal of Bayville High School to figure out her classes for the year. According to Rogue and Kitty, the principal was not very fond of the students at the Institute. Neither girl had mentioned why, but after two weeks living in the X Mansion, Integra could guess. It didn't matter to Integra anyway. She just wanted to get this year over with. She enjoyed school for the most part, and hopefully, this year, academically, would be another good one.

Jean was waiting with Storm at the door, and Integra bit back another sigh. She was not fond of her roommate. The girl was a little too nosey for Integra's tastes, and she seemed to think that she always know what was best. Integra nodded at the two of them.

Storm smiled. "Shall we go?"

She had gotten used to life at the X Mansion. It was rather crazy and hectic, but no worse than Hellsing. She had yet to participate in one of the infamous battles that the other students talked about, but honestly, Integra couldn't care less. She fought vampires on a regular basis; minor scuffles between rival mutant factions would not be much of challenge given that killing the other side apparently was not an option.

Integra had settled into a comfortable routine so far. At the beginning of the week, Walter would send her a thick packet of reports on Hellsing's recent activities and status. She would spend several hours each day working her way through the materials and responding accordingly. This was followed by training with the rest of the X-Men and her mandatory two hours spent with the other students. While she probably could get away with interacting as little as possible with the others, Integra didn't know if that would cause her problems later on, and she didn't want to risk it. She'd been spending most of her free time reading.

"Principal Kelly doesn't like us, but as long as you keep out of trouble, you'll do fine. Be polite, no smart remarks or sarcasm. Make sure you're respectful at all times, and--"

"Jean," Storm interrupted the tirade. "I think Integra can manage the interview just fine."

After all, she did running a government organization. It wasn't like she'd never had a formal interview before. But Jean was just being Jean. Integra figured that she'd have to learn to just ignore the other girl. Jean did have her good points, but her bossiness made her a constant source of irritation.

Bayville High School did not impress Integra nor did its principal. Integra quietly listened to his spiel about school rules and what classes were offered before he got on to the topic of placing her in classes.

"Your transcript is a mess, none of it makes any sense. We'll do our best to place you in appropriate classes, but it may mean you'll be in freshman and sophomore classes."

She raised an eyebrow. "Allow me to clarify it then. I have passed my GCSEs, that's General Certificate of Secondary Education, with A's and A's, the highest ratings possible. Those cover English, Mathematics, where I am placed at a pre-calculus level, Science, Physics in my case, Foreign Language, Religious Studies, History, Law, and Anthropology. Had I stayed in Britain this year, I would be in Sixth Form College."

Kelly blinked. "I see. What is your foreign language?"

Integra smiled. "I am fluent in French, German, Italian, and Welsh. I have a solid understanding of Russian, Gaelic, Romanian, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew as well as a smattering of several other languages. My family's business deals with a great deal of research utilizing historical documents and records, and I was tutored in languages from a very young age."

The principal checked his notes. "And these good grades aren't due to use of you mutant powers? I warn you that I brook no tolerance of any use of your powers while on school grounds."

"Mr. Kelly," Integra's voice was frosty, "I do not have 'mutant powers' as you put it. I have inherited some latent abilities from my father's side of the family, none of which are active, and have been schooled in the occult thought I am not a practitioner. My grades are the product of my own skills and hard work."

Kelly frowned but handed her a form. "Fill this out with the classes you want to take. You're required to take a history class and an English class. You've already met all the requirements for the science and math classes. Turn it in to the secretary before you leave, and you can pick up your class schedule on the first day of school."

"Thank you, sir." Integra rose to her feet, Jean and Storm following her.

It didn't take her long to fill out the form. Integra took the opportunity to sign up for a number of electives that she hadn't been able to pursue before passing her GCSEs. With any luck it would be a fairly easy year. It would be nice not to have to stress over both school and Hellsing. Last year had seen an increase in vampiric activity that been a major issue and between it and her schoolwork, she had little breathing room.

However, when the first day of school rolled around, Integra found herself unaccountably nervous. There was no reason for her to be, but that didn't really change the fact that she was. She walked to school with Rogue. Scott had offered her a ride, but Integra had decided on the option that wouldn't involve inane conversation. The walk steadied her nerves, and by the time she reached the school doors, most of her nervousness was gone. She and Rogue parted ways, Rogue to her advanced French class and Integra to the school office to pick up her schedule.

She had gotten most of her first picks for classes thankfully, and it looked like her first class was American History. Integra found Kitty in the classroom, and the other girl gestured to the desk beside her.

"Mr. Bohnaker lets us choose our seats." Kitty smiled at her. "I think you'll like him. He's always a lot of fun, and this is one of his best classes. We get to do history through rock and roll once we get to the fifties, sixties, and seventies. What other classes did you get?"

Integra handed Kitty her schedule. Kitty frowned as she scanned the paper. "Huh. You have Art and Drama with Rogue and I, and English with Rogue. Kurt might be in the government class. Unfortunately, you'll be stuck with Jean for P.E. and Family and Consumer Studies."

She took the schedule back. "Anything I should know about the other teachers?"

"Not really. As long as you don't cause trouble in class, most of them won't give you any trouble. Mr. Johnson's the only one who's really nasty about having mutants in his class, and you don't have him for anything."

Their teacher arrived, and her first day of school started. Lunch soon came as a welcome relief. The teachers were fine, if rather mediocre for the most part, but the other students were rather aggravating. Reluctantly, she joined the other Institute students at one of the tables in the cafeteria. Thankfully, she had been warned before hand about the state of the cafeteria food and had brought a sack lunch.

"So how's you're first day?" Jean gushed.

"It has been fine so far." Integra frowned. "Are the students usually this unruly?"

The others stared at her.

"Where have you been going to school? Most of the kids have been fairly well behaved today." Rogue asked.

"Until this year, I have either been tutored at home or attended private girls' boarding schools," Integra explained. "It's…quite different from this."

A dark haired girl smiled. "I can imagine. I'm Amanda, Kurt's girlfriend."

"Sir Integra Hellsing."

Scott raised an eyebrow. "Don't you mean dame? I mean, you are a girl after all. Besides, it might be a good idea not to flash around your title like that."

"A dame is a female knight who belongs to the one of the orders other than the Garter or the Thistle. I'm not actually a knight of an order per se. I am a knight of the realm and church. I have been since my father died. It's been part of my identity since I was thirteen, and it is my proper form of address."

Scott looked doubtful, but let the subject drop. The conversation moved on to other topics, and Integra found herself tuning out. The rest of the day ended up being more of the same. The drama and art classes seemed promising, but most of her other classes were going over material she already knew, even if it was from a slightly different point of view. Still, she supposed that was a good thing since the homework would be easier that way, and Integra had a vampire hunting organization to run long distance. Most of the non-Institute students steered clear of her, occasionally making nasty remarks. Integra ignored these.

By the end of her first week of school, Integra had found a comfortable routine with her school work and her obligations. Thankfully, most of the homework was barely challenging, and she managed it easily along with the regular paperwork from home. That was a good thing as the X-Men's training exercises were getting more intense. Integra didn't really do much in these exercises as she was pretty much limited to hand to hand combat and support positions. She didn't really see the need for all of it other than a way to keep the students busy. The members of the Brotherhood had been pointed out to her at school, and she was not impressed.

Still, a battle could be interesting. It would give her a better idea of what exactly the X-Men were capable of and what their rhetoric was really about. Besides, part of her was spoiling for a fight. While Integra didn't often participate in the field, both for security reasons and due to school, she had killed a number of vampires in her time, and some action would be a good way to get rid of her irritation with this whole situation.

Integra was about to get her wish.


	4. Battle Joined

**Battle Joined**

Integra was not amused. She stared at the black piece of cloth. "I refuse to wear that."

Jean sighed. "We can customize it for you, so it's more to your liking, but you need a uniform."

"That is not a uniform. That is a bad Halloween costume for some one who wants to be a secret agent, a ninja, or Catwoman."

Jean rolled her eyes. "It's not that bad."

"Why do I have to wear that? I have fought perfectly well in my regular clothes."

"I wasn't aware that your position required fighting." Jean raised an eyebrow. "I can't imagine that a noblewoman such as yourself would have much experience on what is practical to fight in."

Integra reminded herself that the young woman in front of her wasn't a vampire and she couldn't shoot her in the head. In her chilliest voice, she replied, "I run an organization that provides specialized security for the Crown. I have been involved in field operations on a fairly regular basis since I was thirteen. I am more familiar with battle than you are most likely."

Jean looked about to retort when she got that look when the professor was talking in her head. Integra couldn't hear it, but then she had annoyed Xavier by refusing him any access to her mind. Having Alucard in her head was bad enough, and she trusted him.

Jean growled. "Put the uniform on. We've got a mission. We can argue about this later. And do something with your hair. You're not going to want it flying around while we're fighting."

Integra did as she asked and didn't comment on the fact that Jean's hair was just as long as her own and it was loose as well. The young knight knew enough not to question authority about minor things before a battle. She regarded the black spandex in distaste as she braided her hair. It was a very good thing her vampire wasn't here. He'd never let her live this outfit down.

She joined the rest of the cohort on the jet. Integra kept her comments about their uniforms to herself. She listened as Scott briefed them on the situation. It was not much of a briefing. Clearly, organized battle plans were not the X-Men's strong suit. Still things were fairly straight forward. Magneto had a group of his underlings terrorizing some sort of government facility, and they were to put a stop to it. Without killing anyone of course. Integra wanted to know why the American government couldn't deal with it themselves.

It was a short flight. Integra followed the others out of the jet and waited as Scott gave orders. He neglected to giver her any, however, and Integra used the opportunity to see what their opponents were capable of. Anyway, the X-Men seemed to have things well in hand. The main drawback to their strategy was obvious though. As long as the X-Men were opposed to killing anyone and their opponents weren't, they would be at the disadvantage.

The battle was interesting to watch. It was clear that the X-Men and their opponents did this on a regular basis. It was also clear that they didn't really need her help, so she found herself a seat from which to watch things unfold. Integra had been tempted to give Rogue a hand, but after overhearing the banter between Rogue and her opponent, she was well aware that the fight was nothing more than a well choreographed illusion. She had no problem with that. Integra was of the opinion that all this infighting between mutant groups was simply going to put them at a disadvantage at a later date, but then that really wasn't her problem.

"Is there a reason you have seen fit not to join the battle?"

Integra turned to consider the man floating beside her. "I see no reason to. They clearly do not need what assistance I can provide, and I do not care what the outcome of this fight is as long as I am not threatened."

Magneto tilted his head to the side. "That makes a surprising amount of sense. Just who are you? You're not one of Charles' usual students."

"Sir Integra Hellsing. I take it that you are Eric Lehnsherr?"

"I am." He frowned. "Are you related to the Hellsing Organization then?"

"I am its current head."

His frown deepened. "I see. I owe your family a debt, Sir Hellsing. Two of your people were instrumental in my liberation from Auschwitz. Will you be with Xavier for long?"

"For a year at least. I am hoping it won't be longer."

"I see." Lehnsherr nodded. "Very well then. Sir Hellsing, as long as you do not directly interfere with my plans, none of my people will trouble you. I cannot make this assurance, however, if you directly involve yourself in my affairs."

Integra paused. "That is acceptable to me. I thank you for your consideration."

The man shrugged. "I am simply pleased to discharge this debt. If you'll excuse me?"

She inclined her head in acknowledgement, and Magneto floated off. As the battle was clearly drawing to a close, Integra got to her feet and began making her way to the designated pick up spot. It wasn't long before the others joined them, and Scott was not pleased.

"What were you and Magneto getting so cozy about?"

Integra raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Lehnsherr was simply curious about my identity and why I had chosen not to participate in the battle. As it turned out, we had a prior connection that required some discussion."

"What?"

She sighed. "Mr. Lehnsherr feels he owes my family a debt of honor for the role our organization played in liberating Auschwitz. We came to an agreement that should satisfy that debt."

"And just what was that?"

Integra conceded that as the team leader he probably did have the right to know. "As long as I do not interfere with his plans, neither Lehnsherr nor his minions will target me either in battle or in schemes outside of it. Given that I have no interest in this ridiculous little feud of yours, that suits me quite admirably."

Further discussion of the matter was forestalled the X-Jet's landing. Integra made a point of sitting with Rogue for the trip back. The young Southerner at least wouldn't interrogate her. Unfortunately, the reprieve was only temporary. Integra found herself hauled off to Xavier's office. After another hour of intense grilling, Xavier and his staff were finally satisfied. Xavier wasn't exactly pleased by the turn of events, but there was really nothing he could do about it.

Of course, it was one less thing for her to deal with, and it pleased Integra she wouldn't be needing to fight with the X-Men on a regular basis. Her skills were geared towards survival and the destruction of her enemies, and she had no desire to dull them by learning how to fight with her opponent's well being in mind. Besides, from what she had seen as a fight, it wouldn't that much of a challenge for her. Integra would just have to find something else to satisfy her occasional need for an adrenaline rush.


	5. Creating Routine

**Creating Routine**

Life at the Xavier Institute wasn't exactly boring, but it wasn't what Integra would call thrilling either. She had been here for nearly a month now, and while she still wasn't happy about being here, Integra was doing her best to make her time tolerable and educational. While she doubted that she would ever become friends with Jean, her interactions with both Rogue and Kitty were promising. Rogue at least Integra might be able to call a friend one day.

School was easy enough. Integra barely had to work at the homework. It was hardly as rigorous as what she was used to. While most of the students treated her with fear and distain, Integra really didn't care. Her grades were good so far, and she really wasn't there to make friends. However, she did seem to be bridging some of the gap between the regular students at Bayville and the Institute students. Integra had found that she had forged a connection with some of the exchange students. She no longer sat with most of the Institute students at lunch any more. Instead, Integra shared a table with Nanao Ise from Japan, Astrid from Iceland, and Ava from Canadian. Rogue had also been accepted into the group given that fact that the South was practically another country in the minds of most of the Northerners at school.

They weren't quite friends, but they were allies. And Integra was enjoying some of the social interaction with girls her age. Of all of them, she and Nanao got along the best, but Nanao was in a slightly similar position to her own, without the vampire factor though. The Japanese girl had inherited the family responsibility for the firm they had help build when her older sister had run off. She was basically the Vice-President of the company despite only being seventeen. Both she and Nanao also had inherited irritating and at times overly affectionate co-workers. Integra was mildly curious as to how Nanao handled hers since the girl could hardly shoot the man in the head when he misbehaved. The girls had banded together out of a sense of being foreign to this environment. Mostly they just spent their time expressing bafflement over the Americans and working on homework, but at least the interaction with non-mutant students had earned her brownie points with Xavier.

Integra was coping. She missed England and Hellsing, but she was coping. It helped that she had taken to practicing fencing every day. Logan had helped her set up a dummy to practice on. It was beginning to develop holes. On the up side, she had passed all the requirements for her driver's license to be honored here in New York, and Walter assured her that her vehicle would be arriving shortly. Integra would finally have an excuse not to ride with the other students.

The final school bell rang, and Integra began packing up her things for the weekend. She would have three assignments over the weekend, but only the art project would be difficult. There was also a stack of reports and requisitions that she had to deal with. There had been two missions in the last week that required her review. Walter thought that they might be connected and wanted her input. Another weekend of paperwork and memorizing lines for drama class and working on her art portfolio. It really wasn't that different from spending her weekends doing paperwork at home. Of course, at home she also had the occasional vampire hunt and her own pet vampire to spice things up a little. The X-Men's minor fights with Magneto's henchman hardly compared.

She walked back to the Institute. The weather was pleasant as was her mood, and Integra wasn't about to potentially spoil it by a car ride with surly teenagers. However, when she arrived at the Institute, she found that she was the center of attention.

Logan greeted her at the door. "You have some packages."

"Do you know who sent them?" Not many people knew she was here, but Integra hadn't survived this long by being careless.

"Your Uncle Walter. At least, that's what the return address reads."

Integra smiled. "Where are they?"

"In the garage. The one was too big to bring inside."

There were two cardboard boxes and a crate waiting for her as well as a neat envelope. That was simply a pair of keys and a brief note from Walter informing her that he had provided her vehicle and the proper gear to go with it and for her to remember to be careful.

"Would you please open the crate for me?" She was already unsealing the boxes.

Logan just grunted. Integra turned her attention to the contents of the boxes. Inside the first she had found a full set of motorcycle leathers including gloves and boots. The Hellsing insignia was apparent on most of the items. She inspected the jacket to find it complete with a front pocket for ID cards and reinforced with Kevlar. The second box contained a black helmet, the Hellsing insignia painted on its side, and a pair of saddlebags. Logan let out a whistle.

"You have one hell of a mechanic."

"I take it that Walter has done his usual impeccable job." She circled around to see what her butler had provided. "Oh my."

The motorcycle really was beautiful. Integra would admit that she knew very little about auto mechanics, but this machine was clearly top of the line. It wasn't flashy, which she appreciated, painted a dark gray with black details. She sensed Alucard's hand in that as she noticed they mimicked his shadows rather closely. The motorcycle would be able to seat two if she needed to bring along a passenger, and Integra was sure there were some nasty surprises tucked away for anyone who attempted to steal her ride. This would suit her quite well.

"What do you think?" She quietly asked Logan.

"It's a Honda Shadow Sabre, clearly customized. I'd have to take her for a ride, but she's clearly well made and probably handles well."

"Mmm." Integra reached out to run a hand over the leather seat. "Can I take her for a test drive?"

Logan hesitated. Integra held up the keys invitingly. "I'll let you take the first turn at the wheel."

That was all the incentive he needed. "Go get changed."

Ten minutes later, they were tearing down the road. Integra held back a whoop of delight. She was very fond of motorcycles even if they weren't quite suited to her rank and position. Integra blamed Alucard. He was the one who took her for her first motorcycle ride. Integra was sure that there had probably been some other way to get her away from the men shooting at them, but Alucard being Alucard, it had turned into a motorcycle chase. And she had been hooked.

They finally pulled over, and Logan traded places with her. He grinned at her. "She handles well."

He was right. The motorcycle handled beautifully. Walter had really made a good choice. With a sigh, she turned them back towards the mansion. She did have work to do this weekend.

"So, am I set to drive myself to school from now on?" Integra carefully parked her motorcycle next to Logan's.

"I don't see why not. No passengers unless they have a helmet of their own though."

"Of course."

"And I want the name of your mechanic. It would be worth the cost of overseas shipping for that kind of work."

"Walter Dornez, but I doubt his work is for sale. He's been with Hellsing since the Second World War. He's retired from most active duty at this point, but he is in charge of equipping Hellsing and acts as my butler."

"Huh." Logan had a thoughtful look on his face.

The arrival of her own vehicle was the last piece Integra needed to settle into a routine. Now that she wasn't dependant on others for her transportation, she was in charge of her schedule. Life settled into a fairly comfortable, if boring, pattern, and things were going well. Integra sighed a little as she shifted to reach her mug of hot chocolate. It was Saturday, her homework and paperwork were done, and nearly everyone else was outside enjoying the fall weather. Integra had curled up in the window seat in her room with a copy of _Northanger Abbey_ and her Ipod, intent on spending at least an hour or two relaxing and enjoying her solitude.

She was pulled from the adventures of Catherine Morland by Jean plopping down at the other end of the window seat. The redhead gave her a bright smile.

"So what are you doing for the Halloween dance?"


	6. All Hallow's E'ven

**All Hallow's E'ven**

"I am required to attend?"

Xavier nodded. "Yes. All of my students are required to attend all school social functions. It helps promote understanding and connection in the community."

Integra was skeptical about that, but she wasn't going to say so. So now she was required to attend the school dance. The young woman bit back a sigh. She doubted that the event was similar to the few dances she had attend back home in England. For one, all of those had been hosted by members of the Protestant Order and had been fairly formal occasions. Thankfully, the Queen did not believe in the whole "coming out to society" rigmarole, and Integra had been spared that round of balls and parties. She had no clue what to expect from a high school dance. Integra had attended a private girls' school back in England. While they had been taught to dance, most "dances" were simply country dances open only to students of the school and optional to attend.

Since she wasn't going to be able to get out of this, Integra decided that research was in order. If the dance was on Halloween, she at least had a few weeks to get everything sorted out. Hopefully, the while thing wouldn't be too ridiculous. Rogue would know the details and what exactly was required of her for this thing. It didn't take much for Integra to convince the other girl to go out to a little coffee shop. They drank tea, and Rogue explained about the dance.

"It's pretty lame. You'll probably want a costume though some people just dress up." Rogue frowned. "You just have to say for an hour or so. If you leave after that, the professor doesn't care."

"What sort of costumes do people wear? Just regular costumes or something more like a masquerade?" Integra sipped her tea; so far this would be doable. Obnoxious but doable.

"Regular Halloween costumes." Rogue made a face. "I'm trying to come up with something that I won't spend fifty dollars on just to wear once. It can be hard to find costumes that cover enough skin."

"Hmm." A plan was forming in Integra's mind. "Would you be willing to go costume shopping with me? I don't want to give Jean and Kitty an excuse to drag me shopping."

"Sounds like a plan." Rogue smiled. "Can it wait a week or so? I still need to come up with a costume. Do you have any ideas for yourself?"

"Are the classics still in vogue here? Witches and vampires and such?"

Rogue shrugged. "Sure. You might want to do something a little more unique with your costume, so you stand out, but it's up to you."

Integra smiled. She could think of a very appropriate costume for herself. If she had to attend this thing, she might as well do it in style. Anyway, she had other things to worry about. Hellsing had apparently stumbled upon a very extensive nest of ghouls. It was nothing they couldn't handle, but it was proving more difficult than expected to find the vampire controlling them. Alucard of course was quite willing to go out and take care of things, but Walter was a little leery of letting the vampire loose without Integra there. It was more a matter of politics than control, but it was still an issue.

She was watching the matter closely. If someone were to try and take over authority for Hellsing, this would be a good time. They weren't going to succeed, but at least Integra would know some of her enemies. Between that and school, the Halloween dance was relegated to the back of her mind. It wasn't until Rogue mentioned their shopping trip that Integra really turned her mind back to the dance.

"Did you figure out a costume?"

"Mrs. Lovett from _Sweeny Todd_ ," Rogue grinned. "It suits me, and I can probably wear the clothes for other things as well. What about you?"

"I'm going as a vampire. I just need to find the right dress and shoes and a pair of fangs."

It was actually a rather sort shopping trip. Rogue had a pretty good idea of where to look for her costume, and Integra knew exactly what she wanted. By the end of the afternoon, both girls had everything they needed. Integra carefully hung up her costume in her closet before returning to the latest pile of paperwork generated by her organization. The paperwork never seemed to end.

The dance itself was something of an anticlimax, though the reactions to her costume had been interesting. Jean had just been sure that Integra had misunderstood about the dance until she bared her teeth at the older girl. Integra actually wasn't surprised about that. Her costume consisted of a slinky, black satin strapless dress that fell to her knees and a pair of high heels. Her long hair was tucked up in a sleek bun, and garnet earrings dangled from her ears. The fake fangs simply completed the costume. She had also chosen contacts versus her normal glasses. While she preferred her glasses, she would admit they didn't exactly fit the image she was trying to project. The ensemble wasn't the sort of thing that Integra would normally wear, but that was the point of Halloween. The one thing that she did wear on a regular basis was the necklace. It was something that Alucard had pressed upon her before she left. A delicate gold cross strung on a cord of garnet beads, it proved that her vampire had good taste.

Integra found that her appearance had attracted far more attention than normal. However, as she was not interested in the amorous attentions of idiots, Integra ignored them. She kept an eye on the mood of the other students from the Institute. If some of the nastier students from school wanted to start something, this would be a good place to do it. There was minimal adult supervision, and it would be rather easy to separate one of the mutant students from the crowd. Integra was fairly certain that any of Xavier's students could handle the situation, but it would probably cause more trouble with the community.

Spotting Rogue over in a corner, she made her way across the gym. Rogue was quietly chatting with a young man dressed as Sweeny Todd. Integra frowned; she knew him from somewhere.

"Hey."

Rogue looked startled. "Hey, Integra. You're still here."

She shrugged. "I've sat through meetings that were more mind numbing than this. I thought I'd stay as long as I could stand. Who's your friend?"

Integra was fairly certain that he didn't attend their school.

Rogue nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Integra, this is Remy. Remy, Integra."

"Charmed." He smiled at her.

It was his voice that did it. It was the same man that Rogue had been fighting during the X-Men's battle with the Acolytes. Integra assumed he was wearing contacts to hide his rather unique eyes. That would explain why Rogue was so nervous as well. Not that Integra was going to tattle on them to the Professor. She bit back a frown. He was Cajun by his accent, and the way he stood and moved suggested some sort of training. Now way did that ring a bell? She couldn't think of any possible association between Hellsing and Louisiana, but it was something that Alucard had mentioned. Integra blinked as it came to her.

"Thief or assassin?" It slipped out before she had a chance to censor herself.

Remy blinked at her. "How…just who are you?"

Integra held out a hand. "Sir Integra Hellsing."

His eyes narrowed as he shook it. "Then you're…"

"The current head of the organization, yes."

Rogue was looking between them with a growing look of frustration. "What's going on here?"

Remy wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Your friend here is the leader of one of the most important organizations in Europe, _chere_. They've had dealings with the guilds a time or two before. The only question is what are you doing here?"

Integra sighed. "Politics, mostly. Which is why I'm not about to turn you in Xavier. You never did answer my question though. Thief or assassin?"

"Remy LeBeau, Prince of Thieves."

Integra smiled; this could work out well for her. "Pleasure to meet you. Do you think it would be possible for me to hire your guild's services at some point should I need them?"

"Depends on the sort of job. My guess would be yes, but I'd need to consult with _mon_ _pere_ to be sure."

"I'll keep that in mind." Integra nodded. "I'm heading back to the mansion, Rogue. I'll see you later."

It was easy enough to slip out of the gym without being seen. Integra took a breath of the crisp night air and wrapped her coat more securely around herself before heading for her motorcycle. The hair on the back of her neck rose as a shadow detached itself from the building, and Integra cursed the fact that her only weaponry was a pair of knives forged from blessed silver.

"How about a Halloween treat, beautiful?"

"I think not." Integra sized up the vampire, her fingers lingering near a concealed knife. "I would suggest you leave."

"Come now, I can show you things that no man has before."

He was a young vampire by his manner, still showing off his abilities whenever he could. Integra smiled grimly. "I doubt that. Leave."

"That's not very friendly."

Her eyes narrowed. "I know exactly what you are, and I am not playing games. Leave now or face the consequences."

He scoffed and reached for her. "And what are you going to do to me, little girl?"

There was a blessed dagger in his eye a moment later, and the longer knife was gripped in Integra's hand. The vampire clawed at his face, ripping the dagger out.

"You'll pay for this, bitch!" With that he melted back into the night.

Integra retrieved her dagger and cleaned with a handkerchief before stowing in her purse. She was calling Walter tonight and arranging proper weaponry. Xavier's rules be damned, the next time she ran into a vampire she wanted something more than a pair of knives to defend herself with. And she would have to do some research as well; if he was as sloppy about his hunting as he appeared, there would be newspaper reports about his previous victims. Bayville had at least one vampire, and she had work to do.


	7. Catching the Scent

**Catching the Scent**

Bayville had a vampire problem. Integra was surprised no one had picked up on it yet. Of course, given the rest of Bayville's problems, maybe it wasn't that surprising. It presented something of a problem for her though. It was her duty to exterminate the undead, despite the fact that she was no longer in England. However, Integra doubted that Xavier would believe her when she explained that to him. Oh, she could convince him that vampires were real, but that might take some arranging. No, it was the part about having to kill them that Xavier would protest.

She could deal with that when the issue came up. Right now, she didn't even have the proper weapons for a vampire hunt. Integra was currently spending her time going through the old editions of the local newspapers to try and get a better sense of how wide spread the vampire problem was and where the vampire's were hunting. As of yet, she had uncovered what was clearly at least two separate vampires if not more. It made sense that the town would attract vampires. With all the mutant activity in Bayville, most of the vampiric activity and deaths would be blamed on mutants. It was a pretty good set-up for the vampires.

But that wasn't going to last too much longer. Integra smiled grimly. She had plans. She would have to wait until her weaponry arrived to implement them, but she did have a plan of attack. So far, she had identified one vampire (she was fairly certain it was the one she had run into outside of the Halloween dance) who only seemed to hunt young women. His targets were typically either high school or college students and always fairly pretty. He didn't seem to be creating ghouls, and he was rather sloppy about cleaning up after himself. Integra was currently working on mapping out his territory.

The other vampire was more of a challenge. In fact, she was uncertain whether it was just one vampire or more. Integra was fairly certain that this one was creating ghouls as well. There didn't seem to be a particular type of victim that was favored, but there was a clear territory in which this vampire was operating. The ring of her cell phone interrupted her thoughts and note taking.

"Hellsing."

"So snippy, my master. Walter tells me you have found some entertainment."

Integra sighed. "What do you want, Alucard? Or have you just called to annoy me?"

"What sort of foe have you found for yourself?"

She settled into a more comfortable position. "I have at least two, perhaps more. Actually, I would like your opinion on the second vampire's behavior. I'm uncertain if it is only one vampire or more. There are a good deal more victims, and who ever it is had been a lot better at covering things up."

Alucard proved surprisingly helpful, and Integra regretted having cut their conversation short, but Scott had just shown up at the library, and this wasn't a discussion that she wanted to be having in front of the X-Men's uptight leader. Tucking the cell phone back in her purse, Integra rose and began gathering up her research.

"There you are. We've been trying to get you on the phone."

"I had a call from home. Is something wrong?"

Scott frowned. "We've got a mission, and Logan wants you to come along. If you're going to take phone calls while you're out, at least take a communicator with you, so we can reach you."

Integra raised an eyebrow. They had taken to leaving her behind on most missions as she wasn't interested in fighting Magneto's minions. Of course, if they were dealing with something other than the Acolytes or the Brotherhood, it would explain Logan's request for her to come along.

"Let me just get my things together, and I'll head back to the Institute."

"What is all this anyway? You've been disappearing to the library ever since Halloween."

"It's a personal project." That much was true. "Something at the dance inspired it."

"Anyway, get back to the mansion as soon as possible. Logan wants to leave in a half hour."

She simply nodded. It didn't take her long to pack up her things and drive back to the Institute. Integra dropped off her things in her room before assembling with the others. It meant wearing the ridiculous uniform again, but as long as no one took pictures of her in it, Integra could deal. Logan briefed them quickly. They were tracking what they thought to be a new mutant. Xavier was uncertain of the exact nature of its powers and had not been able to pinpoint a location with Cerebro. This was simply a preliminary scouting mission to see if they could identify the new mutant.

Integra was of the opinion that sending the entire team was a waste of their time and resources, but she wasn't in charge. They loaded up on to the jet and were once again off for another fun adventure. Integra sighed. The lack of Alucard to vent her frustration on was making her more sarcastic than usual. With any luck this would be a short trip, and she could go for a ride when they got back. Hopefully, that would take the edge off.

Thankfully, Integra found herself assigned to the group with Logan, Kitty, and Rogue while Storm, Scott, Jean, and Kurt went in the other direction. They all would be checking out sites where there had been unusual activity recently. Integra could come up with half a dozen other reasons for "unusual activity" none of which included mutants, but if they wanted to waste their time, that was their prerogative.

However, it didn't take Integra long to realize that while there might not be a new mutant in this city, there was a vampire. She sighed. Didn't the Americans have people to take care of these things? According to Hellsing's records, there had been three cases when the American government had asked for Hellsing's help with incidents, but given the size of the country, those couldn't have been the only vampire related problems. Of course, that wouldn't help her right now, and Integra couldn't in good conscience leave a vampire running around this city.

So she hung back at the various locations, carefully observing and keeping an eye out for something she could improvise a weapon with. Walter had promised her proper arms by the end of the month, and until then she would just have to make do. It was at the fourth site that Logan pulled her aside.

"What are you looking for? You've been examining every scene pretty closely."

Integra bit her lip. "I think it is more likely that we are tracking a serial killer than a mutant. These scenes are not consistent with what I've seen of mutant capabilities."

Logan frowned. "But you've seen things like this before. You haven't had nearly the trouble with these scenes. Even Rogue has been squeamish about some of these. You haven't. How many Hellsing families are there in England?"

"Only one that I know of," Integra smiled grimly, "and there is only one Hellsing Organization."

"So, you run England's vampire hunting agency. That explains quite a bit."

"I take it you've heard of us." That didn't really surprise her.

"I ran into two of your people during World War Two."

Given the look on his face, there was only one possibility of who that had been. "Walter and Alucard. So you know what I do."

"Yes. You think that this is a vampire we're tracking." It wasn't a question.

"All of the evidence points to it, yes. It needs to be eliminated."

Logan's frowned deepened. "These kids can't handle that."

"I wasn't planning on involving them." She didn't need that headache. "I can handle this."

"Not without back up," Logan insisted. "I'm well aware that you don't have your usual equipment."

"What exactly are you proposing?" Integra wasn't entirely adverse to the idea of help, at least until she got some firepower, but she would prefer to keep her background and duties quiet. It was clear to her that Xavier would not understand her mission. "We don't exactly have the resources I would normally call upon."

"How do you kill them?"

"Typically, a shot to the head or to the heart. Decapitation works as well."

"That I can do. I'll send Stripes and Half-pint back the Blackbird, and we can deal with this now."

Integra nodded. "All right."

While he dealt with getting Rogue and Kitty out of danger, Integra hastily put together a plan. It wasn't the best plan she had ever come up with, but there really wasn't time to put together extensive strategy. She'd bait the vampire, and Logan would kill it. Integra had a hunch that the vampire had been stalking them from the shadows. Actually, she was pretty sure that she'd seen him once or twice. It wasn't dark yet though, and she doubted that he was strong enough to risk a daylight attack.

She found that many of her suspicions about Logan were confirmed. Of all the X-Men, he had always seemed more akin to the men she was used to than any of the others. He also seemed to better understand her. It was a quick hunt. It didn't take much for Integra to lure the vampire out, but then she did have rather extensive experience with understanding what vampires wanted. In the end, all it took was a small cut on her hand and loitering in a dark alley.

It took less than twenty minutes to dispatch the vampire. There had been a few tense moments before Logan had gotten to him, and Integra once again wished for her regular arsenal, but it was a success. And it also seemed she had firmly moved Logan into the ally column. Which was well and good as she was going to need some help convincing Xavier once her weapons arrived.

As they headed back to the Blackbird, Integra decided to start building the ground work.

"Given the recent circumstances and what you know of me," Integra began, "would you be willing to help me with a small matter of disagreement between the professor and myself?"


	8. Stalking Shadows

**Stalking Shadows**

Integra headed for the bathroom with a sigh. She had made it back before curfew, but at least at this time of night she wouldn't have to wait for a shower. The young woman was feeling rather bruised and tired. She'd spent the two hours eliminating ghouls and stalking vampires. She'd killed over a dozen ghouls, but the vampires had proved more elusive. In the end, Integra had given up for the evening.

She let out groan as the hot water cascaded down her back, making a mental note not to try and deal with groups of ghouls that numbered more than a dozen if she could help it. Oh, she managed to pull it off, but the bruises weren't worth it. When she got back home, she was going to make sure her people had the best shower facilities possible. Integra had severely underestimated the value of hot water in regards to sore muscles.

There were a lot of sore muscles lately. Since the arrival of her gear, Integra had taken to hunting every weekend and any weeknights she could managed. Walter had provided her with her usual armaments as well as proper clothing for hunting vampires and a few surprises. The guns were safely tucked away in the garage. She and Logan had finally decided that it was better to beg forgiveness than ask for permission, and as Xavier couldn't get into her mind, there was a chance that he might never find out about her weapons. Integra honestly didn't care either way as long as it didn't cause a headache for her.

Her hunting had been fairly successful. In the past two weeks she had eliminated well over a hundred ghouls and two vampires. The problem was every time she dealt with one nest, there seemed to be another vampire to deal with. Integra just couldn't get a handle on how many vampires were in Bayville, and frankly, it was driving her a little crazy. She was used to having the resources to deal with these problems rather than having to try and handle everything on her own. There was no doubt the experience would prove useful to her, but right now it was simply another reason why she would rather be home at Hellsing.

Turning the water off, Integra stepped out of the shower, wincing when she saw some of the bruises in the mirror. She was going to feel those tomorrow. She shrugged on her nightgown and headed back to her room. She needed to call Alucard and Walter before she went to sleep. They had both proved invaluable with their advice on how to go about her hunting. For all that Integra did have field experience, she was not typically a solitary hunter, and this was not normally her role at Hellsing.

Unfortunately for her, Integra found Jean already in their room. Her phone call would have to wait as she wasn't about to let the other girl in on her activities. Jean was one of the X-Men least likely to understand what she did. It also didn't help that their personalities often clashed. Integra suppressed a sigh. Jean looked up as she entered.

"You were out late."

Integra did not rise to the challenge in those words. She felt no need to explain herself or her actions to the other girl. Jean Grey had the unfortunate habit of sticking her nose into other people's business and judging them for it. And while Jean was clearly a good mentor figure and friend for many of mutants, she didn't seem to be able to connect with Integra on any meaningful level. There certainly was no question about trusting her with the truth of what Integra had been up too.

Instead, Integra sat down on her bed and dug a comb out of her nightstand. She didn't like to sleep with wet hair, but if she had to, it was at least going to be confined to a braid. Jean watched her tease her thick hair into a braid.

"You know, you're not very friendly, Integra. I mean you haven't made much of an effort to make friends here. You hang out with maybe one or two people other than Rogue at school." Jean frowned. "Your attitude really isn't going to help with mutant-human relations in the future. We need to present a good front given people's attitudes, and I'm afraid you're going to damage our chances."

Integra raised an eyebrow. "First of all, I am not a mutant. Due to that fact, I cannot see how my attitude makes a difference in human-mutant relations. Second, I am not here to promote human-mutant relations. I am here to spend a year of high school with people my own age. Furthermore, I am acting as I need to in order to fulfill my duties to the Crown and the Church. I believe that is my highest priority."

Having lived with Alucard was very helpful in learning to keep a hold of one's temper. Integra wasn't even close to loosing hers. Jean meant well. They just had very different priorities, and for all the older girl had seen and done, Integra was more of an adult. Knowing that didn't necessarily make Integra like her roommate more, but it did help her understand Jean.

"Good night, Jean." Integra was too tired to continue the discussion.

Unfortunately for her, the young head of Hellsing found that Jean had become much more nosey about her activities. For some reason, the older teen believed that Integra was up to something. Technically, Integra supposed she was right, but then one of the adults at the Institute did know what she was doing, so it wasn't like she was sneaking around. Still, Integra wasn't that eager to have Jean and Scott, who had been induced to help Jean, discover that she was hunting vampires in her free time.

She consoled herself with the fact that at least she could consider this practice for stealth operations. Integra also decided to participate in a few more outings with some of the other students at the Institute just to throw Jean off the scent. Between that and accepting the invitation of the exchange students at school to get together, she thought she had done a pretty good job. Which was why when Integra stepped out of the abandoned warehouse after disposing of another nest of ghouls to find Jean and Scott waiting, she was not pleased. Thankfully, her shotgun was stored in her motorcycle, and her handguns were in their holsters.

"Can I help you?"

Scott frowned. "What are you doing here?"

Integra shrugged. "Dealing with a few things."

Jean's hands went to her hips. "What are you involved in? Are you doing drugs? If you are, we can help you, Integra, but you can't keep sneaky around like this. You have a problem."

Integra laughed. "I'm not doing drugs. I am not a fool. Logan has been aware of my activities from the beginning."

And before things could get any more interesting, the police showed up. The officers clearly didn't buy Jean and Scott's explanation for there presence here at nearly midnight. When she was approached, Integra simply handed the officer her passport and Hellsing id card.

"I'm Sir Integra Hellsing. You'll want to run those."

The officer raised an eyebrow. "Ma'am?"

Integra allowed herself a smile. "If this is going to be a prolonged discussion, might we move it to the station? It's a little chilly out to be standing around for too long."

She was clearly not what the officer had expected, but Integra didn't care. This was something she could deal with; she had been working in situations like these for years now. Their conversation was indeed moved to the police station. Integra calmly sat in her chair while Jean and Scott nervously fidgeted. This was not the first interrogation room she had been in.

Finally, a police officer came in. A lieutenant if she was reading the American insignia correctly. He crossed the room straight for her.

"Miss Hellsing." He paused. "Is that the proper form of address, ma'am? Our folio on you didn't specify."

"Sir Hellsing is my typical address," she answered. "Leftenant…?"

"Blair, Sir Hellsing. I take it you were out dealing with your typically opponents." The man gulped. "Do we have a problem here? Is that why you've come to Bayville."

Integra ignored Jean and Scott's puzzled and inquisitive looks and soothingly answered the man. He looked like he was about to panic.

"Yes, that was what I was doing. Tonight's problem has been dealt with." Integra paused. "Bayville does have some issues, but that was not why I originally came here. However, since my arrival I have been conducting operations with some success."

Blair sighed. "I was afraid of that. We knew something had to account for the rise in deaths the past few years, but there have been disagreements over the cause. May I ask why exactly you are here, Sir Hellsing?"

"Internal politics." It was Integra's turn to sigh. "As I'm sure your information has told you, I am rather young for position. Some of the older members of the governing council felt that I should spend a year being able to focus on socializing with people my own age. As you can see, that clearly has not happened. However, just because I was not sent here to deal with Bayville's issues does not mean I will not do my best to help your department with them."

"Thank you." The man visibly relaxed. "In that case, our captain would like to speak to you. Um, what about those two?"

"They're harmless if rather nosey." Jean and Scott looked offended. Integra simply continued. "While those at the Xavier Institute have been informed of my position, they are not really aware of what it entails."

"Ah. Well, then, they're free to go. Would it be possible for you to stop by the station tomorrow, Sir Hellsing? As I said before, Captain Harrison would like to speak with you, and given your position, there will probably be a federal liaison as well."

"Of course, Leftenant Blair. I'll stop by after school tomorrow. It will probably be around half past three."

He shook her hand and showed them out.

"Your vehicles are out in the lot. I'll see you tomorrow, Sir Hellsing."

Integra nodded in acknowledgement then turned to Jean and Scott. "Shall we head home?"


	9. Allies and Gifts

**Allies and Gifts**

Integra fixed herself a pot of tea, ignoring the tableau behind her. They had gotten back from the police station only to have Jean and Scott immediately report on the incident to Xavier. He had called a staff meeting and insisted on her joining. Honestly, nothing they decided would affect her plan to aid the Bayville Police Department in dealing with the vampire population here, but she supposed she should at least humor them. Pouring herself a cup of tea, Integra doctored it to her tastes before turning to face the assembled staff.

"Would you mind informing us just what you have been up to that the police department would take an interest in?" Xavier's voice was stern.

Integra met his gaze calmly. "Actually, I would mind. I do not think that the police department would appreciate it, and truthfully, it is none of your business. I am assisting the Bayville PD with the same sort of issues I deal with in England."

"And what exactly would those issues be?" Xavier raised an eyebrow. "You seem very young for a police department to be relying on your help on any issue. Now, I can understand if you're feeling homesick, but this sort of attention seeking cannot be tolerated."

She sipped her tea and raised an eyebrow. "Professor Xavier, I hardly think that your police department would simply let me leave without any consequences if I was wasting their time. I have been the head of the Hellsing Organization since I was thirteen. It has not been an honorary position. While I am not a field agent, I have been involved in the logistic and strategic side of this sort of work for nearly five years now. As I told the police department, I did not come here to deal with Bayville's issues, but I won't deny them my expertise since they need it."

"She's serious, Chuck." Logan's support surprised the professor. "And she is qualified. I've had dealings with Hellsing before. They're not people you want to mess with."

Xavier blinked. Integra continued to drink her tea. Xavier most likely wasn't going to let this go easily, but Integra wasn't about to antagonize him either. She didn't need to make her life more complicated than need be.

"You're not going to tell me what the police department wants your help with, are you?"

"At least, not until I have checked with them about what their policies regarding on going investigations are," she replied. "I prefer not to alienate the local law enforcement if at all possible."

There wasn't much Xavier could say in response to that. There was a little more verbal sparring before Xavier finally adjourned the meeting allowing them all to go to bed. Integra still had a phone call to make, but that would have to wait until later. She wasn't about to consult with Alucard and Walter where she would be overheard. Not after the last twenty minutes. Thankfully, Jean was ignoring her, so Integra simply slid into bed. Tomorrow would be a busy day for her.

She deliberately woke early. While Integra was not a morning person, she wanted to avoid the other students today, and she did need to phone Walter before she met with the Bayville PD. After a quick breakfast, Integra slipped out of the mansion. There was a coffee shop near the school that would suit her purposes. Tucked in a corner of the shop with a strong cup of Earl Grey, Integra dialed home.

"Hellsing Organization. This is Walter speaking."

"Walter, I need you to get some intel for me."

"Of course, Sir Integra. What do you need?"

Walter promised to fax what information he could find on the Bayville PD to the public library after school. With the phone call taken care, she took the time to just enjoy her tea and prepare for the day. Integra was feeling much better when she walked through the school doors. By the time school was over, Walter would have the information for her, and she could get to work on a plan with the local authorities.

School dampened her good mood some but was unable to completely erase it. One of the exchange students, Nanao, was also heading for the library and had asked for a ride which gave Integra a perfect reason not to wait for any of the Institute students. She dropped Nanao off and picked up the faxes from Walter before heading off to pick up a snack and flip through the documents. With that taken care of, Integra headed for the police department.

It was clear from the moment she walked in the door that the entire department had heard about last night. Integra was met with looks of both awe and skepticism. She ignored them. The officer at the front desk escorted her back to the captain's office. The man rose from his desk to greet her.

"Sir Hellsing, thank you for being willing to meet with me. I'm Captain Harrison."

Integra smiled coolly. "It's not a problem. Shall we get down to business?"

He gestured for her to take a seat. "We're just waiting on the agent the Feds are sending to be your liaison. Protocol, you under stand. Can I get you coffee or anything?"

"I'm fine, thank you, Captain."

It was a short wait. In less than two minutes, a man in a dark suit breezed into the office. He did a double take when he saw Integra.

"Dame Hellsing?"

She bit back a sigh. "Sir Hellsing, yes."

The man frowned. "The proper address for a female knight is dame, and I was expecting someone older."

Integra raised an eyebrow. "A dame is a female knight who belongs to the one of the orders other than the Garter or the Thistle. I'm not actually a knight of an order per se. I am a knight of the realm and church. Therefore, I am addressed as 'Sir'. I also assume that your government has a file one me. My age would be listed therein as would the amount of time I have run Hellsing."

The agent was taken aback, and Captain Harrison hid a smile. Integra simply met the man's eyes. It didn't take long for him to back down. With a sigh, the man took a seat.

"I'm Special Agent Steven Carlston. I'm here supervise your dealings with the police department here and make sure that they don't abuse your offer of help."

Integra's eyebrow went up again, and she traded a look with Captain Harrison. Agent Carlston was clearly going to be unhelpful. That was all right though. Integra could deal with him. He wouldn't be the first officious idiot that she had put in his place.

"Since we are all here now, shall we get down to business?"

Two hours later, Agent Carlston was buried in paperwork, and Integra and Captain Harrison had a game plan. She would be back tomorrow to give a briefing to all of the officers in the department. The Bayville PD would be unable to simply focus on the vampires as Hellsing did, but at least she could give them the information she had on the vampires she knew were operating in Bayville and how one went about killing a vampire. Integra would continue her patrols, but at least she no longer had to worry about run ins with local law enforcement.

She returned to the Institute to find most of the students' attitude towards her rather cool. Integra assumed that Scott and Jean had told them of her recent activities. She didn't care. In fact, Integra was probably more content than she had been when she arrived. This was what she was meant to be doing, and she wasn't about to let the opinions of those who didn't understand bother her.

Her dealings with the Bayville PD quickly settled into a routine, and November ended. Early in December, Integra found that Scott and Jean had taken to tailing her when they could. She ignored this as well. At least, until December eleventh. Integra was out patrolling when a call came in from a police unit. They had cornered something, but they weren't sure what it was or how to deal with it. Would she please come and lend them a hand?

Integra knew that Jean and Scott were following her, but she was more focused on the issues at hand. She arrived at the location to find the street blocked off and at least six officers on site.

"Sir Hellsing," the officer in charge made his way over to her. "We have it cornered. It's not acting like a ghoul, but it's not acting like a vampire either. Do you think it might be a mutant?"

"Let me take a look."

What she found was a pale child who looked to be about eight or nine. She was clearly emaciated, and fangs were visible when she opened her mouth. Integra swore. She hated these. Some idiot of a vampire had unknowingly created a fledging, and she couldn't deal with the transition. The police officer by her side fidgeted, and Integra could hear Jean say something about the 'poor little thing'.

"Sir Hellsing?"

Sighing Integra turned to face the officers. "She's a fledgling vampire. Her master probably didn't even realize that they'd created her. She's clearly not feeding."

"But she's not attacking us either."

"I know. She's starving herself because she can't accept what's happened." There really was only one choice here. "I'll deal with this."

Carefully, Integra approached the young vampire. The girl almost immediately took a step towards her. Red tears were streaked down her face.

"Can you help me? Please? I don't want this." She pleaded. "I'm so hungry, but I can't eat. I can't. Make it stop."

Integra closed her eyes for a moment then reached for her gun. "I can give you peace. What's your name?"

"Vicky. Victoria." She looked at Integra with hopeful eyes. "You'll make it stop?"

"Yes. Rest in peace, Victoria." It only took one shot.

Integra put her gun away and turned back to the audience assembled behind her. Most of the police officers wore sympathetic and respectful faces. Jean and Scott looked horrified. Integra just felt sick. She hated cases like these. Alucard claimed there was no excuse for creating a fledging and not taking care of it. It didn't happen often, but when it did, Alucard typically dealt with it personally. This was not the first time Integra had killed like this, to put someone out of their misery, but this was the youngest victim she had ever dealt with.

"How could you?" Jean cried. "She was just a little girl. We could have helped her."

"I think I will be retiring for the evening," Integra informed the police, grateful her voice did not tremble. "You know how to contact me should you need me."

With that, Integra turned on her heal and made her way back to her motorcycle. She was going home, taking a shower, and having a cup of tea. She'd do some paperwork, and hopefully, she'd be able to get some sleep. Ignoring everything else, Integra headed home. She most definitely did not want to deal with Scott and Jean. Integra probably broke the speed limit on her way, but as no one pulled her over, Integra couldn't bring herself care.

Stalking through the mansion, the look on Integra's face kept anyone from bothering her. Integra managed to get her shower in and her pot of tea brewed before Scott and Jean got back. She fled to her room, not wanting to deal with the oncoming inquisition. She doubted she would be left alone for long, but at least she could have some peace before she had to deal with explanations. Integra settled on her be, reaching for the silly stuffed hound. She let out a sigh. Her phone rang.

"Hellsing."

"What happened, Master?" Alucard's voice washed over her.

Integra began to relax. "There was an abandoned fledgling. Her master probably didn't even know he had created her. She was about eight years old."

"Ah." She had always found his rich voice rather soothing. "Who saw?

Her monster knew her well. Integra shifted slightly, aware of Alucard's presence infiltrating her mind. Normally, she'd shut him out and perhaps put a few rounds in his head, but right now, it was comforting in its familiarity.

"Scott and Jean. I'm going to have to explain to Xavier now." Integra sighed. "It can't be avoided any longer."

"You could simply shoot him, Master."

Integra almost laughed. Her lips did curl into a smile. Alucard continued in a slightly more serious vein.

"You did what you had to, Integra. You are holding true to what you believe. Do not let the beliefs of others sway you. That is not the master I know."

It was probably one of the nicest things Alucard had ever said to her. Hearing footsteps in the hall, Integra brought the call to a close. She might have to explain what exactly it was that Hellsing did now, but there was no way she was going to explain about Alucard. Besides, any explanations involving Alucard benefited from visual aids. There was a knock at the door before Logan stepped into the room.

"Chuck wants to see you in his office."

Integra nodded. "I expected that. I'll be up in a minute."

She grabbed a robe to cover her nightgown and slid on slippers. Taking a deep breath, Integra walked right into the lion's den. Without bothering to ask permission, she took a seat opposite Xavier's desk and raised an eyebrow. He could make the first move.

"I require some explanations, Integra." The professor's voice was grave. "I understand from Scott and Jean that you shot a child tonight."

"Did they also tell you that I did so in front of at least half a dozen police officers who had no complaint about my actions? Furthermore, it was not a child I killed. It was a vampire." Integra shrugged. "Not much of a vampire but a vampire still."

"You expect me to believe this?"

"You can accept existence of humans that shoot lasers out of their eyes but cannot accept the existence of vampires?"

The others in the room were watching them like it was a tennis match. Xavier frowned. "I have quite enough of your attitude, young lady."

Integra rose to her feet. He wanted the truth. He would get the truth. She slammed her palms down onto Xavier's desk.

"I am Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing the head of the Hellsing Organization. It is my sacred duty to defend Her Majesty and the United Kingdom from any supernatural threats. I have been trained for this duty from childhood and have run Hellsing since I was thirteen. I have been killing vampires from that time as well." Integra straightened up. "That is what I do. That is what I am. I am the Master of the Monster. And it is my duty to deal with the undead even when they are not in my own country. The Bayville police have asked for my help and expertise, and I will continue to give to them just as I will continue to hunt the undead on my own. Any other questions can wait until morning."

With that she walked out of the room. Logan could deal with any verification of what she had said. Integra was exhausted, and she wanted sleep.

Logan must have given Xavier the information he needed for he did not bring the subject up again. The other students had clearly heard about what it was that she did, and for the most part, they gave her a wide berth. However, both Kurt and Kitty had made tentative overtures of support, and Rogue was sticking with her. Life went on. The next week Integra came home from school to find Logan waiting out in the garage for her.

"Chuck's a little upset with the amount of space your things are taking up. You're going to need to move them. And the kids are a little freaked out."

"Oh?" She raised eyebrow at that.

Logan shrugged. "You got an early Christmas present from your Uncle Walter. The boxes are in the living room."


	10. My Beloved Monster

**My Beloved Monster**

Integra strode into the mansion. There were a number of things that Walter could have sent her. She had requested more ammunition and weaponry at the beginning of the month, and Walter probably had purchased her a small gift. And knowing Alucard, there was probably something from him in there as well. She blinked in surprise when she came across three cardboard boxes and a coffin. He hadn't.

With a sigh, she first turned to the cardboard boxes. The first two contained weaponry and ammunition. Integra turned to the third, ignoring the coffin as well as the audience that she had acquired. It proved to be Christmas presents and cold weather gear. That just left the coffin. Taking in the packing tape and packing straps, Integra turned to the gathered audience.

"Does anyone have a pair of scissors I could use?"

Rogue produced a pair. "So why are people sending you coffins?"

Integra grimaced. "Because they want to give me headaches. Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm hoping for an explanation when I open it."

She felt a mental intrusion, and for the first time in months, she completely closed off her mind. Then Integra kicked the coffin. That prompted a raised eyebrow from Rogue. As Integra set to work removing the bindings on the coffin, Logan strolled into the room with a cup of coffee. Integra looked up from her work.

"Those two boxes can go to the garage. I'll take the other up to my room. Was there any thing else delivered?"

He shrugged. "There was something else, but it's been held up in customs according to the delivery man. Why exactly is the coffin for?"

Integra cut the last of the bindings. Sitting back on her heels, she stared at the coffin before rapping on its top. "Of course it was. Out. Now. No dramatics. No scaring people. I want an explanation, Alucard."

The coffin lid rose. There were shrieks from behind her. Integra ignored these. Alucard sat up and grinned at her. Logan took a step back while Integra simple rubbed her temple. She could feel the headache coming on.

"Alucard. Explain. Now."

"My master isn't happy to see her loyal servant?" The vampire pouted at her.

Integra rolled her eyes.

"I would have preferred some prior warning. And stop making eyes at him," she called over her shoulder at the girls who were admiring her vampire. "Trust me, you are way out of your league."

Her vampire sighed and muttered something about her ruining all his fun. Integra tapped her fingers impatiently. Alucard stepped out of the coffin and settled beside her. "Walter had been concerned given your recent activities. I am fully aware that there have been some rather close calls."

She did not fidget under his gaze, and Alucard did not pry. They would get to that matter at a later date and hopefully privately as well. She doubted her monster was pleased with some of the risks she had been taking.

He continued, "Furthermore, Walter thinks that my presence at Hellsing without you is undermining some of the intelligence gathering he's doing."

Integra took that to mean Alucard was bored and making a general nuisance of himself. Logan was looking torn between laughter and terror. Integra sighed. Alucard had that effect on people. Rising to her feet, Integra decided not to overwhelm the group for now. She imperiously gestured to the one cardboard box.

"Bring that with you, Alucard. We'll finish this discussion in my room."

Integra pulled the blinds, shutting out the sunlight before taking a seat on her bed. Alucard dropped the box at the foot of the bed before lounging beside Integra. His head rest on her thigh, and he smiled up at her.

"Is it really so bad to have me here, Master?"

It wasn't, but she wasn't about to acknowledge that verbally. There was no need to give Alucard any more ammunition. "What were the other reasons for you coming here?"

His grin widens. "So suspicious. We've taught you well. There have been hints at an attempt to remove you from your position. Walter wanted a little insurance and to remind the council part of why you are the Master of Hellsing."

She nodded. That made more sense. Integra was the only one who could control Alucard, and they could not afford to have the council forget that. She supposed that her late uncle could have fathered a child or two that would have the proper bloodline, but Integra doubted they would pass her monster's tests. Alucard had implied that even her father had just barely met his standards for a master. She was not sure what had she had done to impress her monster so, but Integra wasn't going to argue with the results.

Alucard shifted, capturing one of her hands in his own. His crimson eyes twinkled at her. "I'm hungry, Master."

"And when was the last time some fed you?"

"Before Walter shipped me."

And no doubt the medical blood was in the box that got held up in customs. She thought over her options. Alucard would be perfectly fine without a meal for a few weeks. However, he would be rather whiny and obnoxious about it. And it would keep him from being at full strength. While she doubted that it would be an issue, strategically it would be better to have the vampire at full strength.

"Don't get used to this, Alucard." Integra reached for her nightstand. "Once the medical blood arrives, I won't be hand feeding you any longer."

Alucard sat up, watching as Integra carefully sliced across the palm of her hand. Alucard lifted her into his lap, wrapping on arm around her waist and pressing her injury to his lips. His tongue was warm against her skin, and Integra did her best to relax. This wouldn't be the first time she had deliberately fed Alucard, but it wasn't something she was used to. Alucard made a pleased noise and held her a little closer.

Jean chose that moment to walk into the room. She stared at the scene they made in shock before screaming. Integra tensed, and Alucard snarled at her.

"What do you want, Jean?"

"What the hell is going on here?"

Integra sighed. "Alucard, enough. I'll feed you tomorrow."

Her monster made a noise of protest but licked her palm one last time, sealing the wound. Integra disentangle herself from the vampire and rose to her feet. Time to take charge of the situation before things got out of hand.

"Jean, shut your mouth or something might fly into it. Alucard, come. I should speak to Xavier before rumors start running rampant."

Thankfully, Xavier was in his office, though he seemed rather nonplussed when she strode in with Alucard in tow. Alucard took up residence in one of the chairs while Integra explained the situation. She couldn't tell if Xavier was surprised or simply afraid.

"You're saying that this is a vampire? And he is bound to you and will now be living here?"

"Yes." Integra shrugged. "You need not worry. Alucard will obey me. He will not feed on any of your students. My butler has sent a supply of medical blood for Alucard, and until it arrives, I will feed him personally."

Xavier appeared too stunned to do more than simple accept what she had to say, and Integra excused herself and Alucard. She would have to make some announcements regarding her monster, but that could wait until dinner when everyone was assembled. Until then, her time would be better spent getting the vampire settled. Him staying in her room was out of the question. Beast's lab took up most of the basement, but perhaps she could find some unoccupied space to set up Alucard's coffin. It would not be as spacious or comfortable as his quarters at Hellsing, but it would do.

She managed to get Logan to help out with that. The older man seemed very wary of Alucard, but Integra simply took that as common sense. Logan was the only one other than herself that knew what Alucard was capable of. With her monster settled, Integra took a few minutes to herself to compose herself and figure out what exactly to tell the other students. She had laid out some ground rules for Alucard, but Integra was wise enough to know that she couldn't change the vampire's nature. All she could do was give warnings and hope the students here wouldn't end up too emotionally scarred.

Integra waited until everyone had been served before standing and making her announcement.

"I am sure everyone has heard that I have received some packages today. One of them contained my servant, Alucard. He is a vampire, and he will be staying until I leave. You need not fear him feeding off of you, but please be aware that Alucard is very fond of teasing people and has a different sense of what is funny than most people. He is also not something to be crossed. He was no qualms about killing and is very good at it." Integra looked around the table. "Furthermore, I would remind you that he is not human and does not share our sensibilities about many things. If there are any issues or complaints, you may come to me about them."

She resumed her seat and tucked into her meal, carefully watching the reactions of the other students. Things were definitely going to get a little more interesting. Integra only hoped that there wouldn't be any casualties. She didn't need the paperwork those would cause.


	11. Respite

**Respite**

Integra curled up on her side, blanket draped over her legs and book in hand. The hellhound at her feet served as a lovely foot warmer. The Christmas vacation had started, and Integra was enjoying the calm. The house had emptied some with many of the students going home for the break. There was still a contingent here, but the mansion was a little quieter.

"Hey, Integra?" Rogue poked her head into the room. "Kitty and I are staging a takeover of the TV. The boys have had for nearly six hours straight. Want to help?"

"What would we be watching?"

" _Labyrinth_ , _The Princess Bride_ , and _Stardust_."

"Sounds good to me." She rolled off the bed and on to her feet. "Come, Alucard."

The hellhound followed, morphing into his regular form. Integra smirked. She had the ultimate weapon when it came to turf battles over the TV. No one wanted to offend her vampire. Not after the incident with Jean. Integra had accidentally let her guard doing during a conversation with Alucard, and Jean had used the opportunity to try and get a peek at what was going on in Integra's mind. She hadn't known that Integra's mind was linked to Alucard's, and the vampire had taken more of an exception to the intrusion than Integra had. She had called him off before he could do anything too harmful to the girl's mind, but it had left an impression on Jean and the rest of the students. Most of them avoided the vampire at all costs. Rogue and Kurt were the least wary of him though Kitty seemed to being doing all right as well. At least, she didn't exit the room as soon as he appeared.

Xavier had not been pleased about the incident. However, the professor had to concede that Jean had been in the wrong and that it might prove to be a valuable lesson for the telepath. There was also the added benefit that the incident had made most of the students realize Integra was serious about Alucard being dangerous. So when the three girls strode into the den with the vampire in tow, the boys vacated pretty quickly. It didn't take long at all for them to settle down with ice cream and chocolate and start a movie.

Alucard made a comfortable pillow. Integra would admit that she was allowing him much more tactile contact than she normally would, but his presence was a comfort. Though she would never admit that aloud. He had been a definite boon in her patrols. It was much easier to hunt vampires when you had one of them on your side. The police had been wary of her servant but had graciously accepted the help. And truth be told, Integra was much fonder of Alucard than she ever let on.

Which was probably why she was allowing him to run his fingers through her hair as they watched the pirates fight the prince's guards. It was rather nice to have no other real concerns besides dealing with Bayville's vampire population. Integra shifted, jabbing Alucard sharply with her elbow when his hands wandered. Her vampire poked at her mind, and she reluctantly let him in.

_Is my master going to be fit for patrols tonight or will I be hunting on my own?_

She sighed. So he had picked up on that as well. At least Walter wasn't here to conspire with him to fuss over her.

"It's just a cold, Alucard. I get at least one every year." She tilted her head back to look at him with narrowed eyes. "It won't be a problem."

Alucard smirked. _If you say so, Master._

"I do." Then she sneezed.

Rogue tossed her the tissue box. "Finally caught Amara's cold?"

"Yes. Thank you, Rogue."

"Not a problem. You should only have it for a couple of days. The only one who got really sick was Jamie."

Being sick was a problem though. When it came to her health, both Alucard and Walter could be overzealous in their concern for her. She was not a Victorian heroine that needed to be bundled into bed every time she showed the slightest hint of illness. Given the current circumstances, Integra did not want her vampire wandering around Bayville on his own. There was always the chance that the police could mistake him for the enemy, and she did not want to have to clean up that mess.

She fell asleep halfway through _The Princess Bride_. The sound of low voices pulled her from dreams of shadows and eyes.

"So what exactly is the deal with the two of you?" Logan's voice rumbled. "I remember you, and the idea that you would simply let a seventeen year old girl order you around is rather farfetched despite what she says about you being bound to her."

"What she has told you is true. I am bound to her by blood and magic." Integra was mildly surprised that Alucard was actually telling the man the truth. "But Integra has earned the right as well. Truth be told, she is a far better master than her father. She does not fear to use the weapons she has been given."

Logan scoffed. "I'd almost say you were fond of her."

"I am in my own way. She has more potential than most of you humans, and she is actually utilizing it." Alucard's hand stroked her hair. "And hopefully, I am not giving her an over exaggerated sense of importance."

Integra opened her eyes. "You haven't said anything that I didn't already know or suspect."

She coughed, and Alucard's arms wrapped around her. He rose to his feet lifting her with him. "Bed, Master. We can hunt another night."

Integra found herself tucked into bed with the warm weight of the hellhound across her feet, and she could feel Alucard attempting to influence her into going back to sleep. She let out a sigh that turned it a cough and gave in. Alucard was right after all. They could hunt another night.


	12. A New Year

**A New Year**

Integra contained her pleasure as she and her monster raced through the streets of Bayville on her motorcycle. She didn't want to scare off their prey. The police had discovered what they thought was the main lair of one of the older vampires in the city. They had been reluctant to send anyone in without any intelligence on the place, but that was not a problem for Integra and Alucard. And Integra was in the mood for some stress relief.

Christmas had gone well for the most part. Unfortunately, with the end of the holidays came the return of the other students. That made Integra's life a little more difficult. Since the incident with Alucard, "coldly polite" was the best description of the roommates' relationship. It wouldn't have bothered Integra much except it made for her room to be much of a sanctuary unless Jean wasn't there. Integra had taken to working and studying in either Rogue and Kitty's room or in Alucard's little alcove. It was a pain, but at least she didn't feel like she had to watch her back every minute.

But that was neither here nor there at the moment. Right now they had a vampire to deal with. Parking her bike, Integra considered the building.

"What do you think, Alucard? Frontal assault or shall we take a more subtle approach? And, yes, Alucard, I know you're not subtle."

Her monster smirked. "The front door should suffice, Master. What is waiting for us is hardly a concern. Had we your normal resources, you wouldn't have bothered to send me."

Integra nodded. "Very well then."

It ended up being simple enough. With Alucard around, Integra truthfully had very little to do. Her vampire handled most of the combat, though she couldn't help noticing that he seemed to be steering her towards situations that would provide a challenge for her own combat skills. Not that Integra minded that. She got very little opportunity to do fieldwork at home, and Integra appreciated the opportunity to hone her skills. She wasn't about to ask her people to do anything that she herself couldn't do. Forty-five minutes later the job was done, and Integra was craving chocolate. Which was why they were currently sitting in a Dunkin' Donuts at ten in the evening. Alucard watched her obviously amused as she bit into a chocolate donut.

"And to think that the Council of Twelve doesn't think you act much like a normal teenager."

She shot him a glare. Alucard simply smirked at her. The bell on the door tinkled as more patrons came in. Integra only took notice of them when they stopped by her table. Rogue gave her a half smile.

"Mind if we join you?"

Remy was with her. Integra nodded, and the pair took the two empty chairs. Rogue sighed.

"So, the professor hasn't told you, but I figured that should probably know. I mean there's always the chance that it's not just hate crimes or evil scientists." Rouge was rambling which was unusual.

Integra raised an eyebrow. "Tell me what exactly?"

"There have been a handful of disappearances in the Bayville area of mutants. No bodies have been found. There have been a few sightings of the missing mutants." Rogue bit her lip. "They seem fairly mindless."

"What _mon chere_ means is that they seemed to be controlled by something else." Remy spoke up. "It could be a telepath, but we wanted to check to make sure that it wasn't a vampire. The sightings have only been at night. A mutant that's been turned into a ghoul wouldn't still have their powers, would they?"

That was a very good question. If the answer was yes, Integra would need to send a memo to Hellsing. That was a surprise her people did not need to be caught unaware by and would need to train for. She looked at Alucard. "What do you think?"

The vampire frowned. "It would depend on the type of ability the mutant had, I think. Something that required a mind wouldn't work, but a physical power probably would. Of course, this is all speculation. I've never tried to turn a mutant."

Alucard had never created a fledgling in his time at Hellsing as far as Integra knew, and he never created ghouls. But then, Alucard hardly needed them. Her vampire didn't need minions to be a force to be reckoned with. However, these disappearances could be serious.

"How many mutants have disappeared?"

"Seven for sure that Xavier knows about." Rogue was eyeing the sprinkle donuts.

Integra grinned and gestured for her to go. "It's a Friday. We have plenty of time before curfew. You can tell me what you know, and I'll see what I can get out of Logan later."

Rogue returned a few minutes later with donuts and coffee. "The first two had mental powers, telepathy and premonitions. The rest were physical attributes."

Integra frowned. "If it's a vampire, then he learned from his mistakes. It also suggests that he has some sort of plan. I don't suppose you know anything about the locations of the disappearances or their timing?"

Shaking her head, Rogue sipped at her coffee. "Only that it's been in the past six weeks. The professor only just brought it up at the beginning of the week. He probably has more info, but I doubt any one besides the other adults and Scott and Jean know about it."

"I'll see what I can get out of Logan." Integra frowned. This was not helpful. She and Alucard had just about dealt with most of the major vampiric infestations in Bayville. Just about everything else the police department could handle. On the one hand, this would be an interesting challenge, and Integra was curious about how mutants would make the transition to the undead. But on the other, she had been looking forward to get back to not having to hunt vampires for awhile, though she would have to find something else to keep Alucard entertained.

Logan, thankfully, was willing to provide her with the specifics she was looking for. Integra also managed to get the police department to let her pull the case files for the missing mutants as well. There wasn't that much information in most of the police files, but it gave Integra another point of view to look at. However, given the trouble they tended to cause the city, the police hadn't really been that interested in finding missing mutants. Still, between the two sources Integra managed to piece together a coherent picture. There was no proof that this was a vampire, but Integra had her suspicions. Besides, given her life, the odds of it not being a vampire were very small.

Integra began an investigation of her own. She didn't mention it to Xavier, though Logan and Rogue kept her updated with what was going on with the professor's investigation. She was going to need to deal with the man sooner or later, but Integra preferred to do that once she had concrete evidence and a plan to deal with the issue. She had learned from dealing with the Council of Twelve that it was always easier to approach problematic parties with a concrete rather than simply charging in.

It was remarkably hard for her to find much trace of the vampire or its ghouls. Even Alucard admitted in his own way that the vampire was being incredibly sneaky. He found it an interesting challenge. Integra was less pleased. She wanted to know what they were up against now. She didn't have her normal resources here, and in a situation like this, Integra would feel better if she had a fully equipped company that was trained to handle the undead at her beck and call. When dealing with an unknown vampire, Integra preferred to err on the side of overkill.

It took her almost a month to collect enough information to come up with a decent plan. Not only was the vampire elusive, but she didn't have the intelligence network that was available in England. She had even let Alucard go off on his own to see what he could dig up. They didn't have much information, but it was enough for Integra to know that this wasn't an ordinary vampire simply rampaging through Bayville. No, this one was up to something, and that wasn't really a situation Integra had dealt with much. Most vampires seemed simply interested in their prey. Some liked to play with their food more than others, but they were more interested in feeding on humans than anything else.

There was plan in this whole thing, and she needed to find out what it was. Her instincts told her this was more complicated than simply one vampire trying to enlarge their hunting territory. Alucard agreed which made her even more uneasy. Integra was not used to vampires other than her own plotting. It didn't help that her own position here wasn't the best either. Integra bit her lip as she prepared to walk into a trap that she and Alucard had discovered for mutants. She was a Hellsing, and she could do this.


	13. Spider or Fly

**Spider or Fly**

Integra pressed a hand to the reassuring weight of her Walther PPK in its shoulder holster. The gun was hidden under her jacket, and she hoped that she wouldn't need to use it. However, she hadn't been about to walk into to this meeting unarmed. With Logan's help, she and Alucard had come across the trap their unknown vampire had set to gather mutants to turn into ghouls. Integra wasn't much of an actress, but she could pull this off.

"Hello? Is someone here?" she called as she stepped into the shop she'd been directed to.

Something moved in the shadows. "Miss Fairbrook? Is that you?"

"Yes. Um, it's rather dark in here. Could you turn on the lights?" She could see well enough, but it would be in character. "Are you Mr. Jones?"

"Yes. Come in, my dear. Have a seat."

As the lights flickered on, Integra made her way to the chairs in front of the desk the man was sitting behind. She touched the pendant at her throat for reassurance. She was not wearing her normal cross; Integra had been concerned about tipping her hand too early. Instead, she wore this year's Christmas present from Alucard. It was an odd gift to her mind, the pendant a silver cast of Alucard's signet ring from when he had been human. Normally, she would be a little reluctant to wear anything that could be construed as marking her as Alucard's, but tonight she'd made an exception. There was nothing like facing a vampire when you knew that you had an older and more powerful vampire on your side.

"Now, on the phone you said you were interested in learning to control your new powers?"

"Yes. They only showed up recently, and I can't really control them at all. They really only show up if I'm scared or angry."

"I see. And how do these powers manifest?" He was taking notes.

She intentionally fiddled with her hands, trying to project nervousness. "With fire. I've set a number of things on fire accidentally. I had to cut nearly four inches off my hair after I lost my temper last week."

"Hmm." Jones tapped the pen against his lips. "Does anything else seem to trigger it besides anger or fear? Can you call the fire forth on your own?"

"No." She bit her lip.

"We'll have to work on that then. I'd like you to meet with some of my other students who are a little farther along. We can start working on getting a hold of your powers then. Are you available in about two days?"

"What time, sir?"

"Let's say seven-ish."

"I'll see you there."

He reached out and shook her hand. "Good."

Integra made her way out of the shop. So far so good. Hopefully, the next appointment would provide a little more information. At least she had gotten his attention. Now the trick would be to keep it until she had enough information to bring his entire organization. Integra wasn't sure at this point if she had even been speaking with the vampire in charge or just his fledgling. Alucard had suggested that given the level of complexity to this scheme that the vampire in charge might have minions other than the ghouls.

The next meeting should give her some of that information. Right now, however, she needed to get back to the mansion before her nosy roommate started getting suspicious. While Logan and Rogue were aware of what they were up to, the rest of the mansion was in the dark, and Integra wanted to keep it that way. Until she had evidence to present him with, Integra wasn't about to let Xavier in on her operation. She wasn't going to risk him trying to take over. She knew what she was doing, and she'd be damned if she'd let Xavier take over simply because he thought it was what was best.

She approached the next meeting with a little more trepidation. Integra wasn't sure if she would have to demonstrate her "powers" tonight, and she still wasn't sure how exactly to pull that off. There were some drawbacks to being simply a regular human being. Still, if worst came to worst, she could have Alucard uses his illusions on the group. That was risky as she didn't know how well his illusions would work on mutants. Though given most of these had physical powers rather than mental ones, it was probably safe enough.

After arriving at the shop front, Integra was quickly shepherded out the back and into a warehouse. It was clear that they had tried to create something more low budget than the Danger Room. Still, it wasn't a bad training facility. Integra wouldn't be surprised if it also served for a testing ground so that the vampire in charge could get an idea of just what the mutant ghouls were capable of. Taking a deep breath, Integra stepped forward to meet the others waiting.

Mr. Jones smiled and gestured her forward. "This is Winifred Fairbrook. She's here to learn how to harness her powers. How do prefer to be addressed, my dear?"

"I go by Winnie."

"Wonderful. Watch them closely please. Louis, why don't you go first?"

She watched as a young man stepped into the obstacle course. He was not a vampire or a ghoul. There were at least two ghouls in the room however, but Integra wasn't sure if anyone other than Jones was a vampire. Of the demonstrators, only Louis and one of the girls were human for sure. With a wave of his hand, Louis forced any objects before him out of his way. Integra frowned; it must be some sort of kinetic power. She watched as Louis cleared the obstacle course in about fifteen minutes. Not bad. It wasn't that difficult a course, but given the fact that he probably had not been receiving the sort of intensive training that the X-Men got, it was impressive.

One of the girls, Alice, went next. She was also human. Her power appeared to be shooting energy beams out of her hands. She was not as accomplished as Louis in controlling her powers. It took her a half hour to clear the course. Jones smiled at Integra.

"Louis and Alice are the newest here save for you. Louis has been here nearly two months, and this is Alice's sixth week."

Integra hid a frown. This clearly wasn't the simple snatch and grab that she had expected. That meant that the others who had disappeared had probably been involved long before their disappearances. On the one hand, it did make sense. The length of time would give Jones time to asses the mutants' powers before turning them into ghouls and get a sense of how useful they would be. This was very well planned out.

One of the ghouls was up next. Jones introduced him as Josh and explained that he was deaf. Integra found that to be a convenient excuse. Josh cleared the course in about ten minutes. His enhanced strength and speed obviously a boon, but he also used his ability to melt objects with some sort of acid as well. Integra did not like this at all. She had no doubt the rest would prove to be just as skilled. She did not like this at all.

So far, what the goal of all this was hadn't been mentioned at all. Casting back through her memory, Integra found that the last time there had been a concentrated organization of vampire like this had been in World War Two when the Nazi had tried to create an army of the undead. At least, that was what the Hellsing records said. She would check with Alucard and Walter to double check that there hadn't been anything that had missed getting into the archives.

"Why don't you see what you can do, Winnie?" Jones smiled; Integra knew it was more than a suggestion.

"All right," she hoped she sounded nervous and tentative.

 _What do you think, Alucard?_ She thought at her monster. _Do we give them a show or should my 'powers' remain undemonstrated?_

Her vampire was surprisingly serious. _We'll give them a taste. Nothing more. We want Jones to stay interested in you._

Integra stepped forward onto the obstacle course, unsure if she was springing a trap or setting one.


	14. Whistling in the Dark

**Whistling in the Dark**

Opening her mind to her vampire, Integra began the obstacle course. She wasn't quite sure what Alucard had in mind, but she would have to trust him. For all of his bravado and obnoxiousness, he had never let her down once, and Integra doubted he ever would. She didn't know how this little operation of hers was going to turn out, but she had to give this a try. Integra wasn't quite sure what they others were seeing as she ran the course; Alucard's illusions did not effect her.

She deliberately took her time with the obstacle course. She didn't want Jones realizing that she was as well trained as she was. The more he underestimated her, the better her chances were to gather information without near death experiences. Integra made it about halfway through the course before Jones called her to a halt.

"That's enough, Winnie." He frowned at her. "We are clearly going to need to work on your ability to call forth your power. Though I would think it would take a little less for you to call your abilities forth. Perhaps you're trying too hard. Well, it will be a problem we can work on another time."

Jones spoke for a little while longer before setting the next meeting and dismissing them all. Integra hung back a little as everyone went their separate ways, trying to connect with one of the other humans involved. Alice seemed very shy, but she tentatively warmed up to Integra. The girl left with Integra's cell phone number tucked in her pocket. Integra could only hope that the connection panned out. It never hurt to have as many sources of information as possible.

Once she was certain no one was following her, Integra ducked into the shadows of the alley where she had left her bike and her vampire. Hands on her hips, she raised an eyebrow at the vampire leaning against her bike.

"What do you think?" She raised a hand. "Besides, that this is boring. I don't think I can keep in the local authorities good graces if I unleash your typical carnage."

Alucard pouted at her. "But, Master, it solves problems so well."

She snorted. "Somehow I doubt that."

"We will need to be careful, Master. We are not dealing with your average scum. This one might actually be an interesting challenge."

Integra bit back a sigh. She really didn't need the mess that Alucard really enjoying himself in a fight would cause. But at least things seemed to be going well. Alucard frowned at her and cupped her face in his hand.

"You're exhausted, Master. Time to go." The frown turned to a smirk. "I'm driving."

Integra protested. She remembered what Alucard's driving was like. However, he was right about her being exhausted. This whole thing had taken more energy that she liked, and on top of the day she had already had, Integra was ready for sleep. Alucard was surprisingly gentle with her. She must have dozed off at some point for the next thing she knew, Alucard was setting her down on her bed. Jean was already asleep. He took her glasses, setting them on the nightstand, and brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Sleep, Master. We can make further plans tomorrow."

The next few days brought about some intense planning sessions. Integra knew that she could not keep up her charade of being a mutant for many more of Jones' training sessions. They would need to move quickly too get things taken care of before her ruse was discovered. Integra would prefer to make a clean escape and then deal with them. Unfortunately for her, there were some other problems as well. The main one being Xavier was requiring her to participate in an after school activity. So now, she, Rogue, and Kitty were all trying out for the school play.

Alucard found it terribly amusing, especially since this year's play was _The Sound of Music_. However, it would mean that Integra needed to schedule her sessions with Jones around the auditions and other X-Men activities. It was something of a pain. Still, Integra managed to survive. She was cast as Lisle to nearly everyone's surprise, including her own. Alice had also started to open up to her, and that was proving to be a very good source of information. With any luck, Integra would be able to act sometime after the next session with Jones.

The one thing that still bothered her about this whole salutation was that there was no hint of another vampire involved. Alucard was fairly certain that Jones was the fledgling, and they had seen nothing of the master. Of course, if they killed Jones, that might bring his master out into the open, but Integra was leery of antagonizing a vampire she knew nothing about. She knew that Alucard could deal with him, but she didn't know what the collateral damage might look like, and her normal resources for damage control weren't available here. One way or another though, they would need to take care of the threat.

With a sigh, Integra prepared for her next session with Jones. The hardest part of these sessions was keeping up the persona of Winnie Fairbrook. Integra was more sarcastic and willing to speak her mind than Winnie was, and sometimes she was hard put with keeping silent. Still, she wanted to get through this with both herself and the other humans involved alive and well, so she did her best. She adjusted her jacket and took a deep breath. With a smile, she entered the training room.

"Hey, Winnie." Alice smiled at her. "Ready for tonight?"

Integra nodded. "Yes. How about you?"

Alice shrugged. "As much as I ever am."

As the two of them approached the rest of the group, Integra felt a chill go down her spin and was grateful she was carrying both her guns tonight. She had a bad feeling about this. She touched the pendant at her neck and took a deep breath. Jones gathered them together, and the session began. Integra was on edge the entire time. Something was wrong here. When her turn came up, Integra moved very cautiously. She kept expecting something to actually taken her, and she was rather taken aback when Jones called a halt to her run through the obstacle course less than halfway through.

Jones narrowed his eyes. "You're not a mutant, are you?"

This was not good. Integra bit her lip. "No, but then neither are you."

_Alucard, plan b. Now._

Jones swore at her and gestured. The ghouls moved towards her, and Integra didn't hesitate. Her gun was in her hands within moments, and she had two of the ghouls down. Both Alice and Louis looked like they were going to faint. Integra frowned as she saw one of the ghouls make for them. Alucard had already arrived and was making short work of the remaining ghouls. Integra grabbed Alice's arm, dragging the girl behind her.

"Look, I'll explain things later. Just stay behind me, and don't let any of them bite you."

Stunned, the girl nodded. Louis, however, didn't seem that convinced. She would have to worry about him later. She didn't know where Jones had been hiding them, but there were more ghouls here than she had previously counted. They might be a mere distraction for her vampire, but they could hurt the civilians here, and Integra wanted to keep the casualties limited to the undead. Which meant her hands were full right now. She caught sight of Alucard finishing Jones. Integra held her breath. Either that would draw Jones' master out or it would end the fight. When the ghouls did not subside, she could guess what the answer was.

Alice seemed to have gotten over some of her shock and was using her powers to keep the ghouls at a distance. Louis was simply staring at them all in horror. Integra didn't have the energy to deal with him right now. She could hear Alucard taunting Jones' master which meant it was only a matter of time before all this was over. She just had to keep the three of them alive until then.

She heard more than saw Alucard take the master vampire's head off. The ghouls dropped dead around them, and Louis reached his breaking point and started having hysterics. And it was at that point that the X-Men came storming into the warehouse. They were lucky she hadn't had a chance to swap out her clip or they would have gotten shot. Integra took one look around at the scene, and she couldn't help herself. She started to laugh. This was going to take some explaining.


	15. In Comparison

**In Comparison**

It might have been easier to simply to let the ghouls kill her than deal with this mess. Of course, that would mean Alucard would be let on the loose, but it wouldn't have been her problem anymore. Integra sighed. It was going to be a long night. The X-Men barging into the fight had complicated things. Not that there was really any fight left, but they were making clean up much more difficult. Integra wanted them out of here before she called the police, and they weren't budging. It also did not help that Louis was still having hysterics, and Alice was barely holding on to her composure. Integra didn't have the time right now to try and calm them down.

"Look, I have everything under control. There is no longer any threat, and I need to contact the police." She glared at Scott. "I don't think you want to be here when they arrive."

"But there were mutants involved!"

Integra sighed. "Yes, there were mutants involved. No, they're not in trouble with the law. I do not think that right now is the time to be recruiting. I'll make sure they get Xavier's card before I leave."

"You work for the police?" Alice piped up, looking rather relieved.

Integra turned to her. "Actually, I run an organization in Britain that deals with these sorts of problems. I'm currently working as a consultant for the Bayville Police. My name is actually Sir Integra Hellsing."

"Oh." Alice bit her lip. "Am I in trouble?"

She shook her head. "No. You'll need to give a report to the police, but after that you'll be free to go."

Alice nodded, and Integra turned her attention back to the X-Men. "So are you going to leave or stay and explain what you're doing here to the police? I am calling them in two minutes whether you are still here or not."

Scott grumbled, but he and Jean started gathering the others up to leave. It wasn't hard. Many of the X-Men were looking rather green. They clearly hadn't seen the sort of carnage Alucard was capable of. And this was a mild scene. When she got back to the mansion, Integra had the feeling that she was going to be in for a long conversation with the professor. As they left, Integra pulled out her cell phone and dialed the police. Thankfully, she didn't have to dial 911 to get a hold of someone. That could have been an interesting call. However, she had the direct number of the lieutenant who had been put in charge of coordinating the anti-vampire work.

A unit was dispatched, and Integra wasn't kept waiting long. It was a half hour before things were dealt with enough that she could return home. Alucard at least managed to keep from causing more trouble, and as promised, Integra made sure that both Alice and Louis got a copy of Professor Xavier's card. She doubted that Louis would follow up on it, but Alice probably would. Integra made her reports, and once she had filled out a few pieces of paperwork, she was free to go home.

Integra let herself into the mansion to find Xavier, Storm, Logan, Scott, and Jean waiting for her. She ignored them as she cleaned and stowed her weapons. Once Integra was satisfied that everything was safely put away, she turned her attention to those waiting.

"Can I help you?"

"What exactly did you think you were doing?" Xavier demanded.

"Dealing with a threat. The vampire had been turning mutants into ghouls, so he could use their powers. It was necessary to indulge in a subterfuge to draw out the master vampire involved. The mission was successful." Integra raised an eyebrow. "Or do you mean the fact that I did not get your group involved in my operation or inform you of my actions?" Xavier seemed taken aback at that, but recovered quickly. "Both. You could have been killed by acting on your own."

"Given that I had police backup should I need it as well as Alucard, I think that is an exaggeration. Furthermore, your students are not trained to handle vampires, and it would irresponsible for me to get them killed by involving them in something that they had no business being in."

The professor kind of goggled at her. He clearly hadn't expected her answer. Integra was grateful that Alucard had already retired for the night. She did not need him making this more difficult with his normal antics. Hopefully, this latest incident was getting it through Xavier's head that while she was not technically an adult, she acted like one for the most part. The man kept expecting her to act like one of his students despite the fact that she was used to acting as an independent individual.

It would be helpful if he could get that fact through his head. While Integra doubted there would be situations that would be as complicated as this last one, she might be called upon to deal with some other matter while she was here, and it would be better if she didn't have interference. Integra bit back a yawn. She was exhausted, but she wasn't about to show that to Xavier. What Integra really wanted was a hot shower and to go to bed. She'd rather skip the lectures.

Xavier threw up his hands. "I give up. You clearly don't seem to understand the danger that you keep putting yourself in."

Integra did not sigh as much as she wanted to. Until Xavier stopped thinking of her as a child, he was going to have trouble reconciling her actions. There wasn't really anything she could do about that, and right now, she needed some rest.

"Are we done then?"

Xavier sighed. "Yes. We're done for the night."

After a hot shower, Integra felt much better. She slid into bed and turned out the light, not waiting for Jean to return to their room. The next morning Integra found herself on the receiving end of another lecture which she ignored. School was almost a relief, and she thankfully had to stay late for play practice. Integra was still mildly irked that she was stuck in the production, but she'd have to make the best of things. And there was no way she was letting Alucard any where near the play practices. She did not need to give him the ammunition for his teasing.

Things definitely had calmed down with the vampire population. Integra found that her patrols were almost boring now. Bayville still had an elevated vampire population, but it was clearly deceasing now. As pleased as she was about that, it did mean there was less to keep Alucard occupied. School was also getting more work intensive, and the mutant squabbles between Xavier's group and Magneto's were also heating up. Integra did her best to ignore that. Instead, she focused on her school work which led to her current problem. Her latest assignment for English class was to write a fictional story involving a rescue and a gun. Those were the only two requirements for the story other than the fact that it was supposed to be fictitious.

However, creative writing was not Integra's forte, and everything she had tried to write so far had turned out to be ridiculous tripe. So Integra had decided to bite the bullet and write what she knew, with a few embellishments. She sat at her desk trying to capture the events that led to her having an obnoxious vampire to manage.

"I believe, my master," a voice whispered in her ear, "that this called cheating."

Integra rammed her elbow back into the vampire's gut. "I believe it is called creative license. Besides, it's not as if anyone is going to believe it actually happened, and I did change some of the details."

"So I see." Alucard was reading over her shoulder. "This is almost suggestive, Master. I didn't realize that you had managed to shake off your British sexual repression."

Integra rolled her eyes. "It's what people expect from vampire fiction these days."

Her vampire shook his head. "You couldn't give me a little more space in the story? Tell about what happened next or something?"

"I'm writing a short story, not a novel. Besides, you already have at least one novel written about you. You don't need another."

Alucard pouted. "It wasn't very accurate. I want a better novel."

"Write it yourself then."

Integra turned the assignment in and didn't think anymore about it. She was more focused on the latest reports from Hellsing and learning her lines for the school play. So, she was mildly surprised when a week later, she called into the school counselor's office.


	16. On the Other Hand

**On the Other Hand**

Integra had heard the school counselor mentioned before. Well, mentioned was a nice way to put it. The way Rogue described the woman was 'desperate to write a case study on someone and get it published so she could get a better job'. Integra had a bad feeling about the fact that she was being called into the woman's office. This could not bode well for her. It had crossed Integra mind a time or two that she might be in need of a therapist, but getting one with the proper security clearances would have been a nightmare of paperwork.

"Miss Hellsing, please take a seat."

She sat down in the indicated seat warily. Integra wanted this interview over with. Ms. Gardner looked at her over a clipboard.

"I suppose you would like to know why you have been called into my office."

"Yes, please." Politeness never hurt.

"Something came up with a piece of your homework that flagged some warnings. We thought it would be prudent to speak with you as soon as possible."

Integra raised an eyebrow. "I see. Which piece of homework was this?"

The woman opened a file folder and set it on the table between them. Integra recognized it as her short story. This was going to be interesting.

"First of all, I want you to understand that this isn't an uncommon thing. It happens to a lot of kids, both boys and girls. If you're willing to talk about this, I can help you through it."

Integra blinked. The woman was not implying what she thought she was. This was completely ridiculous. The woman was still talking.

"Now this story clearly exhibits some classic characteristics of someone dealing with a trauma, and I can see how writing it out would help, but you need to tell the real version of the story."

She thought very quickly. She needed to head this off before it got out of hand. For one brief moment, Integra considered telling the woman the whole truth just to see the look on her face. In the end, she settled for part of the truth.

"Ms. Gardner, I'm afraid you have misunderstood some things. It is true that the story references a traumatic event in my life. Actually, there is very little in the story that is fictional. Within three days of my father's death, my uncle did try to kill me. It's not something I like to think about much. The story is probably only the second time I've recounted the full story."

The woman blinked. Apparently, she wasn't expecting that. She recovered quickly though. "I see. Was there a particular reason you wrote it for your short story?"

Integra shrugged. "I was at a loss for a fictitious story, and it seemed to work. I changed some of the details and added others as well as changing the names. It was easier to get it down on paper that way."

"Okay. Who was the vampire in real life?"

Integra frowned. "What do you mean?"

"In your story, the vampire rescues the girl. Who rescued you from your uncle?"

"Are you asking who rescued me or who killed my uncle?"

"Both, I guess."

Integra bit her lip, trying to figure out how much to actually say. "Alucard, one of my family's servants saved me, but I was the one who killed my uncle."

That set off another chain of questions, and Integra found herself trapped there until it was lunch. She was glad for the escape when it came. That had not been a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. And it really had been a ridiculous exercise. While Integra was sure she could use a good psychiatrist, she doubted Ms. Gardner was equipped to help her with the issues she had. Integra headed for the cafeteria to meet up with her exchange student friends and Rogue. There would be at least some sanity there. And Rogue would help her run lines for play practice after school.

To tell the truth, Integra was almost bored. Things in Bayville had been much less interesting with the reduction of vampires in the area. While she knew it was good for the town, Integra found she had less to do that kept her away from the X Mansion. It wasn't that Xavier and his people were mean or bad, they just weren't very understanding of her, and truthfully, Integra didn't want to put up with that right now. She had enough things to worry about.

Things had taken an unexpected turn back in England. Walter seemed to be handling the outbreak of vampiric activity well, but Integra couldn't help being concerned. She did not like being out of the loop and out of control. Hellsing was hers, and she needed to be able to run it. She was never going to be able to prove herself unless she was at her job, and without anything else to really focus on, Integra could do little but worry about things back home. School was hardly a challenge, and while the play was energy consuming, it didn't take up enough of her time to really be a distraction right now. Perhaps when they were closer to the performance date but not right now.

With a sigh, Integra took the last available seat at the table her companions had secured.

"You weren't in third period." Rogue shot her a questioning glance. "I was wondering where you disappeared to?"

Integra knew she was really asking if there was something dangerous going on. She just shook her head. "I got called into the school counselor's office. It took me awhile to get her off my case."

"Ah." Rogue picked at her food. "Do you have any plans for the afternoon?"

"Just play practice. After that I'm free. Why?"

Rogue sighed. "We're a month away from prom, but with the way things work at the mansion, I need to start looking for a dress now."

"Prom?" Integra asked. "This is another American tradition I take it?"

Rogue nodded. "It probably the most important dance in your high school experience. Only seniors and juniors are allowed to by tickets. Underclassmen can go if they have a date with an upperclassman. Everyone at the mansion is required to go. You and your date typically go to dinner first and then to the dance. It's also the most formal of the dances at school."

"I see. I'll probably need a dress as well then."

"Yeah. And you'll probably want to find a date. Otherwise, you'll have to put up with attempts to set you up with other people. Take it from me, it's not fun."

It was Integra's turn to nod. "So, shopping after play practice. Is it just us, or will some of the others be joining us?"

"Kitty might. If you want to invite some of your friends, you're welcome to."

"All right."

Integra headed back to her classes in an odd mood. She had experience with formal dances. She wasn't very fond of them. And she knew all about being set up on dates. The Council of Twelve would be very happy if Integra would find a nice young nobleman and settle down with him. She wasn't at all interested. Eventually, Integra knew she would have to provide Hellsing with an heir, but that would have to wait until she was ready and she felt that everyone understood that the Hellsing Organization was hers. Integra was in no rush to become a mother.

However, right now she had very limited options for a date for the prom. In fact, Integra was fairly certain she was going to have to take Alucard as her date. There was no way she was going to be set up on a blind date for this thing. She already knew that most of the boys at the mansion would either have dates or not be going, and Integra didn't want to deal with the trouble that some unknown boy could cause. For one thing, they wouldn't know what they were getting into with her. For another, Alucard would probably be overprotective and possessive, and neither Integra or her date needed to deal with that. It was easier to just bring the vampire along. It was probably also safer for all parties involved as well.

She managed to get through play practice fairly quickly. For once there had been a minimum of idiocy, and they had managed to get through the entire first act in one go. Integra met up with Rogue, Kitty, and Nanao (who she had invited earlier) in front of the school. It was time to draw up a plan of attack. Kitty knew where in town to look for the dresses, and Rogue and Integra quickly came up with a scheme that would allow them to visit the most stores in the quickest amount of time and still find time to break for snacks when necessary.

Two hours later, the girls were not as pleased. Finding the right dress for the stupid event was proving rather difficult. Most of what they had found was completely unacceptable. Honestly, it was supposed to be a formal dance, yet almost every dress Integra had seen look like they had been made for street walking. Kitty was the only one who had found anything that was at all likable, and she wasn't sure about the lavender taffeta creation, mostly because it was a little more expensive than she liked. Still, she had asked the store to hold it for her. Rogue was having no luck at all finding something that was long sleeved. It was disappointing to say the least.

"Is there a reason Jean isn't coming with us?" Integra asked as they stopped for a snack of giant pretzels.

Kitty and Rogue exchanged a look. Kitty sighed.

"She actually has a date for the prom, and she's being unbearable about it. Having her along would probably end badly."

"I see."

They finally called it quits for the day when it was reaching seven o'clock, and they still had come up with mostly nothing. Plans were made for another excursion on the weekend, and everyone headed home. Integra now just had to figure out what and when to tell Alucard about this event. Somehow, she had the sinking feeling that it was going to be a very memorable night for all the wrong reasons.


	17. Age and Treachery

**Age and Treachery**

Alucard smirked as he watched his master run through her lines with a scowl. Integra was not pleased about this whole acting thing. Oh, she was mildly amused by it at times, but for the most part she saw it as an inconvenience. He wasn't sure he blamed her. The play itself was too sweet for his tastes, and he had some questions about how the director would interpret the scene with Lisle and Rolf. If there was going to be a kiss, he was going to have to have some words with the young man playing the part. His master after all was not innocent, but she wasn't exactly experienced when it came to romance.

Still, Alucard knew the real problem was the fact that his master was bored. She was used to a much more challenging environment than this. Well, the X-Men did provide some challenges, but the challenges they provided Integra were more of keeping her temper and finding ways to work around the restrictions put on her. They were things that would probably serve her well in the long run, but right now, Alucard knew Integra didn't find them very important. She was less than six months away from being considered a full adult, and the vampire knew that his master had plans for Hellsing once the restrictions that had been put on her position due to her age were lifted.

However, the vampire would admit he was enjoying the opportunity to have unfettered access to his master. He honestly enjoyed her company, especially when he had the chance to annoy and exasperate her. Integra had incredible potential for a human, and he had a vested interest in prodding her to achieve that potential. Though right now he was more interested in the secret she was keeping from him. Integra kept running off with Rogue and Kitty in their free time, and they seemed to be up to something. Integra wouldn't tell him anything about it, and she had taken to shielding her mind from him ever since he had arrived in America. Still, Alucard planned on finding out what exactly his master was up to. It would just take some creativity.

* * *

Integra was deliberately keeping Alucard out of the loop about the prom. It was bad enough that he had found the pictures from the Halloween dance. Alucard was very fond of the one of her baring her teeth at the camera. He had made much of the fact that she had dressed up as a vampire. He really didn't need to know that she was looking for a dress for another formal event. Knowing the vampire, he would probably want to come along and make suggestions. While Alucard did have a fine sense of fashion, he tended to be very found of things that bared her neck and her cleavage. The neck Integra could deal with, but she wasn't about to display herself when attending an event that would be populated with teenage males. There was no reason to invite a bloodbath.

She and the girls were off dress hunting again this afternoon. They had a long weekend, and hopefully, they would be able to finally find prom dresses for the majority of them. Kitty had gone the dress she had found on their first trip, but she was now looking for accessories. If they didn't find anything this weekend, Integra had the feeling that she wouldn't have a dress until the last minute. Play practice was getting more intensive as the performance dates got closer, and there was still a great deal of work that needed to be done on the production.

The dress hunt was not going well at all. Integra refused to wear something that made her look a like a hooker, which most of the dresses did, and apparently, this year's predominant color for dresses was yellow which didn't flatter her in the least. At this point, the girls had hit just about every dress shop in town and come up empty. There were a few places left, and most of them were bridal salons. They were a long shot, but the girls were running out of options.

"Are you ready to go, Integra?" Rogue popped her head into the room.

"Yes." Integra grabbed her purse. "Shall we?"

Kitty was waiting for them at the door, and they met up with Nanao downtown. Time to get to work. The first two shops on their list were crossed off quickly. The third proved more promising. Their dresses were a lot more reasonably priced as well. Nanao quickly found a pale green dress that suited her. She had been looking for something on the simple side. Rogue was still having trouble finding something that would cover most of her. They stumbled upon a dark green dress with a pick up skirt and cap sleeves. It had black lace embellishments as well. It was gorgeous, and looked exquisite on Rogue. The saleswoman suggested that Rogue pair it opera gloves if she wanted to cover her arms.

That just left Integra in need of a dress. The saleswoman, who had been incredibly helpful so far, asked Integra a few questions and then started pulling dresses off the racks. Integra ended up with an arm full of red dresses in varying hues. She tried on three of them before she finally found it. The dress was claret satin with a trumpet skirt and a ribbon tie halter top. Its lines were sleek and simple, and Integra could move easily in it. Because of the halter top, Integra would be able to get away with just earrings and maybe a bracelet, and it would be serviceable for any events back in England that she would be forced to attend. Integra would ignore the fact that it was nearly the same color as Alucard's coat.

They made their purchases then went off for lunch before doing some shopping for accessories. Integra would be glad to have all this taken care of. It would be one less headache for her to deal with. Now she would just have to survive the dance itself. The young knight tucked her dress in the back of her closet when she got home and moved on to other things such as homework and learning her lines for the play. She had the first act down as well most of the second act. What Integra was really concerned about was the costumes. She hadn't seen them yet, but she had seen some of the concept design sketches. If they were at all accurate, Integra was going to need to make sure Alucard never saw some the costumes.

Actually, now that she thought about it, it would best to destroy all evidence of her participation in this thing. The last thing she needed when she got back to England was anything that would suggest she was anything other than a serious and sober professional. She couldn't afford to have the Knights of the Round Table Convention think of her as a young woman. Especially, since they clearly thought a young woman couldn't handle running Hellsing. Next year was going to be a major step in proving to everyone involved that she could handle running Hellsing. Truthfully, she already had her own people and the law enforcement and military convinced. It was the good old boys in charge that needed convincing.

Integra sighed. None of this was productive. One of the things she missed about being at Hellsing was the lack of free time. Typically, she was lucky if she could finish a book in two weeks. Something always came up. Even with school, she had never had this much free time to kill. Feeling the need for something active to do, Integra pulled out her fencing gear and went in search of a place to practice. Normally, she would have just gone outside, but it was raining and muddy out. In the end, Integra settled for a storage area in the mansion's basement. It took her merely a matter of minutes to start warming up, and soon she was engrossed in footwork exercises.

"That hardly seems a worthy challenge for you, Master."

Alucard loomed behind her. Integra pulled off her mask.

"Is that an offer?"

The vampire shrugged. "Why not?"

Integra tossed him her extra sabre. "Don't get too excited. International rules. This is fencing, not sword fighting."

He just laughed. Integra pulled her mask back on, and they began. Integra let him be on the offensive to start with. No matter how many times she fenced Alucard, she always learned something new about his style. Of course, he had lived in an age where being good with a sword was a very important life skill. She rarely won against him, but he provided a good challenge to her skills and he pushed her more than most opponents did. It was easy enough for her to get completely focused on the bout at hand. When they finally paused at fifteen touches, Integra found they had acquired an audience. Integra ignored them for the most part, moving around to keep from getting stiff.

"You're losing your edge, Master."

Integra sighed. "I know. I'd hardly present more than a five minute challenge for Kit these days, but without a salle, it's hard to keep in practice."

"You call that out of shape?" Kitty asked incredulously.

Integra shrugged. "Kit, my roommate from boarding school, competes international as a sabre fencer. Normally, I would present something of a challenge for her when we bout. If I didn't have the responsibility of Hellsing and the time, I could probably compete international as well most of the time. Right now though, I'd be lucky to place in to top ten at nationals."

Kitty was wide eyed. "Wow. Anyway, I came down to see if you wanted to go out with Rogue and me for a movie and ice cream. The guys just followed me and thought it was cool."

She waved at Kurt, Bobby, and Ray. They all were still looking kind of stunned. Integra laughed.

"Sure. Let me take a quick shower, and I'll be ready to go."

As it turned out, they had mainly gone to the movie to make fun of it. It was a romantic vampire flick which explained why they had invited her. The theater was nearly empty, the movie had been running for nearly three months now, so Integra got to spend two hour mocking the utter ridiculousness and implausibility of the flick. It was a great way to spend a few hours, and ice cream was a good way to end the day. Integra returned to the mansion in a very good mood.

All that was ruined, however, when Integra walked into her room to find Alucard perched on her bed, gazing at her prom dress which was now hung on the closet door. He gave her a smirk and a leer.

"And what might my master be wearing this to?"


	18. Seventeen Going on Centuries

**Seventeen Going On Centuries**

Integra was seriously considering killing her vampire. The only problem with that was then she would be stuck here on her own. She'd had to chase Alucard out of her room after he had found her prom dress, and the vampire now wouldn't stop hounding her about it. Thankfully, she did have an excuse to be away from the mansion and the vampire on a regular basis. The school play would be opening at the end of April, and play practice was now taking up much of her after school time.

If Integra was reading the school calendar right, the prom would be a week before the play started its performances. Of course, that was assuming she survived the next few weeks. Something was up with Xavier and his people. They weren't telling her much which probably meant it involved Magneto. Given her nonaggression pact with the man, they tended to avoid even mentioning their battles with him. Not that Integra would betray their plans. Of course, it was a step in the right direction that they were being wary. Sometimes she was convinced that these people trusted in the goodness of human nature too much.

Still, it was getting kind of tense around the mansion, and people were pretty jumpy. Integra honestly wasn't sure what to make of it all. However, she wasn't involved, so she was pretty sure she didn't need to worry about these people getting her killed. Integra was a little concerned about Rogue though. She was more withdrawn of late, and that did not appear to be a good sign. Integra would just have to watch and see what would happen. At least here she need not worry about an assault by the undead. Angry mobs of mutant haters or rogue groups of mutants were another story.

Thankfully, the school play was beginning to come together in a coherent way. Integra was looking forward to being done with it. While she didn't really have anything against the theater, she really wasn't that thrilled to be a part of it. There was a little too much chaos involved, and people got testy if she tried to take control and institute order. It wasn't her fault that the director didn't know how to control people. There was also the fact that several of her costumes had turned out to be pink and made Integra feel a little like Little Bo Peep. Integra did have all her lines memorized, and she felt fairly confident about most of the music.

On the plus side, Integra had realized that her time in America would soon be coming to a close. The school year here was only a few months longer, and her eighteenth birthday was getting closer. By the end of June, she could be on her way home. Integra still wasn't sure if this year in America had made much of a difference, but she could take some useful experiences from it. Working with the local law enforcement had been a new experience for her. Integra was not typically out in the field enough that she was used to acting as a liaison. But things had gone well despite her inexperience in the field.

With a sigh, Integra set aside her script. She had been unable to focus on it for the last ten minutes. She lay back on her bed and closed her eyes. There was a soft knock at the door. As Alucard wouldn't have knocked, she answered.

"Come in."

Rogue popped her head into the room. "Hey. Are you busy?"

Integra sat up and shook her head. "Nope. What can I do for you?"

The young woman was not looking well. She was paler than normal and looked weary. She mustered a smile for Integra.

"I have a problem. Well, several really, but I only need your help with one of them."

Integra raised an eyebrow at that. Rogue was not one to easily ask for help or admit to problems. She was a very private person. That she would come to Integra surprised the British girl.

"What exactly is your problem?"

Rogue bit her lip. "You know what my power is. The memories I get from people tend to hang around. They've been giving me nightmares lately. I've absorbed a lot of people, and a number of them haven't had very pleasant lives at times. I'm having a lot of trouble getting any rest. I figure with your job and everything you've been through you might have some ideas of how to deal with nightmares."

Nightmares were a part of her life. Integra was used to them. For the most part, she managed quite well, but unfortunately, she couldn't recommend her ultimate cure for nightmares. Somehow, she didn't think Alucard would be willing to deal with Rogue's nightmares as well as her own. Besides, she didn't think she wanted to share her vampire like that. The fact that at times he shared her bed to keep her nightmares away was a very well guarded secret. Still, there were some other tips she could give Rogue.

"Relaxing helps. Reading for about an hour before you go to bed or something else that engages your mind. Having a cup of tea before you go to sleep also helps." Integra frowned. "When you wake up from them, don't try to right back to sleep. A cup of tea then or reading some can help there. Also, if you can't get back to sleep, don't try. Go and exercise or find something else to do. Sometimes getting the dreams written down on paper or just sketching out the images from helps."

Rogue nodded. "Okay."

Integra hesitated then carefully offered. "The other thing that sometimes helps is not being alone. Having someone else sitting up with you or in bed with you can make a lot of difference."

Rogue's eyes widened a bit at that, but she didn't comment. Integra was thankful for that. It wasn't really something she wanted to elaborate on. Instead, Rogue changed the subject.

"Thanks. Do you know what you're doing for prom yet?"

Integra let out a long sigh. "Yes and no. I know whom I am going with. Other than that, I don't really know what I'm doing. I understand that dinner out is customary?"

"Yeah. Well, Kitty might have a date. We'll see how things work out there." Rogue gave her a half smile. "Of course, if things do work out, there may be a fight at the prom. I don't think her ex is going to take her showing up with a date well."

"That would be Lance, the one with the seismic powers from the Brotherhood. That relationship's over then?"

Rogue shrugged. "There's still a friendship, I think, but I doubt they'll get involved with another again. I've got a date, but he's going to meet me at the restaurant at this point. You may be in for more of a brawl than a dance."

"It wouldn't be the first time, honestly." Integra smiled. "I'm actually more comfortable at a brawl.'

Laughing, Rogue rose from the bed. "I hear you there. Thanks for the advice, Integra."

"Not a problem."

The other girl left, and Integra returned to her script. She hadn't gotten much farther in it when Alucard came up through the floor. Integra didn't even bother to look up. She just threw one of her extra pillows at him. It hit him square in the chest.

"That wasn't very nice, was it, Master?"

"When have I ever been nice?"

The vampire smirked. "Touché."

He sprawled across the foot of her bed, and Integra was sorely tempted to simply kick him off the bed. All she would have to do was kick out her left foot, and he would probably roll off the bed. She resisted, however. Instead, she decided to use him as a pillow and back rest. Alucard seemed rather content with that. He started playing with the end of her braid, but other than that left her alone. It was a little disconcerting, but Integra was used to odd behavior from her vampire, and he had seemed more possessive and tactile with her since she had been here rather than his normal combative and mocking attitude. Integra figured it was in part due to the fact that she would make an easier target here in America than she did back home.

She didn't think it would last, but it wouldn't hurt to enjoy cooperativeness of the vampire while she had it. It was easy enough for her to sink into the play and immerse herself in her character. Integra didn't even look up when her door opened once again, but she did notice that Alucard's grip on her tightened.

"What are you doing, Integra?"

She looked up at Jean. "Reading over my lines, and double checking my notations. The director wants us to have everything memorized, including our entrances and exits.'

Jean opened her mouth to comment but seemed to think better of it. Finally, she said, "We're not supposed to have boys in our room with the door closed."

Integra arched an eyebrow. "I see. I'm not quite sure the rule applies to this situation, but I think I can take care of the concerns."

Glancing at Alucard, Integra saw that he had already shifted into his hellhound form. She stroked his back.

"Was there something you needed?" She asked Jean.

The older girl seemed a little shell-shocked, but then she really should be used shape shifters by now. It seemed to be a trait several mutants had. Alucard wasn't a mutant, but the process was still very much the same.

"The professor wanted to see you. You know, this would be a lot easier if you would just let him contact you telepathically."

Integra shook her head emphatically. "Not a chance. No one gets into my head if it's up to me. I'm stuck with Alucard because of our bond, but I don't have to put up with anyone else in mind."

Jean just shook her head. "It's not like that at all. If you would only just give it a try, you'd see that."

Integra sighed. "Trust me, if you were in my line of work, you would probably feel the same. And if you had a centuries old vampire poking around you're mind whenever he got bored, you would definitely agree with me. Do you know what Professor Xavier wanted to see me about?"

"School probably." Jean shrugged. "There are some events coming up that he wants to make sure we attend, and he's gotten a couple of letters from the school lately."

Integra sighed again and rose to her feet. She had a feeling she was now going to have to convince Xavier that she didn't need to see a psychiatrist. She was guessing this about her recent visit to the school counselor. Now, all she just had to do was convince him that she wasn't crazy, survive the school play, and attend a formal dance that was likely to turn into an all out brawl. Then she could finally go home and get back to her real work.


	19. Danced Into the Night

**Danced Into the Night**

Integra was beginning to think that this prom event was designed to drive young women crazy. The amount of time and stress spent on it by her fellow housemates was baffling. It had taken Integra all of thirty minutes to get ready. An hour if you counted the time she spent in the shower. What had taken her the longest to manage was twisting her hair up into an elegant chignon. It was held in place by a pair of stilettos ornamented with garnets. Integra was not going to another event without a few little tricks tucked around her person. Now all she had to do was wait for Rogue and Kitty.

As it turned out, the three girls made plans to go to dinner together. None of them had dates that they really wanted to flaunt at the mansion. So instead, they would leave for dinner together and meet their dates at the restaurant. It had taken some compromise, but they finally agreed on a place to eat. Japanese food ended up being the order of the evening, though sushi wasn't on the menu at all. Kitty had found a little place that looked like a hole in the wall but had amazing food. But first they had to get through Xavier's excessive need to photograph their every movement. Honestly, Integra didn't know why he needed so many pictures. He and Storm took pictures of the three of them together and individually as well as a number of candids.

When they finally made it out the door, it was something of a relief. Thankfully, it was a short drive to the restaurant. Remy, Rogue's date from the Halloween dance, was already waiting for them along with a dark haired young man Integra didn't recognize. He appeared to be three or four years older than Kitty, and when he spoke, Integra immediately recognized his Londoner accent. Kitty made introductions.

"Pete, this one of the other girls who lives at the mansion, Integra Hellsing. Integra, this is Pete Wisdom."

His eyes widened. "Not Sir Hellsing?"

Integra nodded. "Yes, that's me. I take it you've heard of Hellsing."

Wisdom shrugged. "I was drafted into Black Air. It's a quasi-legal intelligence agency."

"I take it you would prefer working for a fully legal agency which is why you're hanging out in America and looking like you don't know whether you want to run away or not." Integra gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. I have no interest in advancing the agendas of organizations other than my own."

The young man relaxed some. Dinner turned out to be quite lovely. It wasn't exactly a sophisticated meal, but it was tasty and filling. The conversation was pretty good though they kept away from the subject of religion. As long as Integra didn't have to debate rhetoric and dogma, she was fine with other denominations and religions. Besides, Hellsing had taught her a thing or two about tolerance. Her soldiers came from all sorts of backgrounds. It was when she got stuck with idiots who started claiming what she believed was wrong or inferior that her nasty side showed. It was probably why she didn't tend to get along with the idiots from the Vatican.

After dinner it came time for the event that none of them were really looking forward to: the actual prom. As they approached the gymnasium (the hall the school had wanted to rent had been unavailable), Integra waved the others on to go ahead in and scanned the shadows and let out a sigh. She had almost been hoping Alucard would refuse to show up. She should have known better. Integra approached her vampire warily.

"I trust you remember the ground rules."

Alucard laughed. "You take all the fun out of things, Master, but yes, there will be no maiming, scarring, or psychological torment for the poor children."

He stepped into the light, and Integra assessed the form he had taken for the night. Alucard still looked very much like himself, only rather younger like he was in his twenties, and his hair now only just brushed his shoulders. Thankfully, he had chosen appropriate attire for this event, a black suit of an older cut with a crimson cravat that matched her dress. He gave her a mocking smile and offered her his arm.

"Shall we, my countess?"

She rolled her eyes but accepted the gesture. It was going to be a long night. Integra turned her wrap in at the door, and she and Alucard made their entrance. It probably wouldn't have given anyone any pause save for the fact that Integra had been adamantly clear that she was not interested in any sort of a romance when any overtures at school were made to her. And she had never mentioned that she was in any sort of a relationship. Also, Alucard was probably easily the most handsome man here.

Integra steered them towards the refreshments to see if there was anything worth eating. She figured if there was, it would be best to eat things now rather than try and get something after the fighting had started. She had already spotted two sources of trouble. Kitty's ex was glaring at the girl and her date, and by the way his fists were clenching, Integra doubted he was going to simply let it go. Across the room, it was clear that Scott and Jean were concerned by Rogue's choice of date. They had not confronted her about it yet, but they probably wanted to. That wasn't going to end well either. Especially since as far as Integra could tell, Rogue truly cared for the young prince of thieves.

She sighed. Alucard didn't need to start any trouble. There was enough trouble already here. She made a mental note to keep him away from both possible hot spots. Knowing him, he would find it fun to further exacerbate things. Speaking of her vampire, Integra realized that since she had let go of his arm, he had kept a hand at the small of her back. She took a glance around. It wasn't immediately noticeable, but Integra realized that there was not a single male within three feet of her. She looked up to meet Alucard's eyes. The vampire smirked at her and tightened his possessive hold on her.

"Shall we dance, Countess?"

Integra was more than a little suspicious, especially since he kept calling her countess. It was a title he rarely used for her. She wasn't sure what he was up to. Still, dancing seemed like a good idea. It was probably better than letting Alucard interact with her peers. The music didn't really translate into any of the dances that Integra had been trained in, but they managed to make a passable attempt of moving to the music without making fools of themselves. Integra paid close attention to what Alucard did with his hands. He was acting a little too innocent.

The prom in truth was rather boring. It just didn't have much to hold her interest. If Integra was a teenage girl in the throes of romance it might have been different, but for a teenage girl who made a living of killing vampires, it didn't do much. She and Alucard danced quite a bit, mostly because it about the only thing they had to do. Integra wasn't at all interested in making small talk, and they had taken care of the "official" prom photographs early on. In fact, Integra was seriously contemplating leaving early. Alucard could probably find some prey left in the city, and it might do them both some good.

However, before Integra could make an escape, Rogue cornered her.

"Would you stay until after the next song? They're going to start playing requests in a minute."

Alucard's mouth twitched. "They take requests?"

This was not good. However, Integra didn't have time to deter the vampire from the idea as he was already across the room talking with the DJ. She was doomed. Bright, upbeat music began to pour from the speakers, and soon a lively song about New Orleans was playing. Integra watched as the two Southerners on the dance floor two stepped around the room. It was clear that both of them were enjoying themselves. At least someone was having fun at this thing. Integra was already dreading whatever song Alucard had requested. This wasn't going to be good.

After Rogue's requested song, Integra tried to make an escape. However, her date wouldn't let her. Alucard claimed that it wouldn't do for her to miss such an important experience in a girl's life. It was pure bullshit, and the vampire knew it, but he could make it very hard for her to leave as well, so Integra was stuck for now. She could only wait and see what her vampire had in store for them.

There seemed to be quite a few requests. Integra suffered through YMCA and the Macarena as was puzzled by a song called Caramelldansen. It sounded like it was perhaps Swedish, and the dance consisted of swinging one's hips and waving your hands on top of your head. When the Time Warp came on, Integra did participate though. She didn't talk about the time she and her roommate, with Alucard tagging along no less, snuck out of the dorms to visit a midnight showing of the movie. She figured it was her one major adolescent rebellion.

The music turned to a number of more romantic requests, most of which Integra sat out. So she was surprised when Alucard pulled her onto the dance floor when yet another song started. When the she heard the lyrics, things became clearer. And now she was trapped on the dance floor with her vampire while a song about joining someone in death played. His meaning was rather clear. Integra did her level best to convey her annoyance with him without attracting attention. All she needed was one of the chaperones to come over and see if things were all right. She couldn't exactly tell them she was annoyed with her pet vampire because he was making overtures about turning her again and she wasn't ready to even contemplate the idea.

Integra scanned the dance floor. Rogue and Remy were dancing as were Jean and Scott. She caught sight of Nanao, her foreign exchange student friend, dancing with an older man Integra didn't recognize. Everything seemed to be going well. Movement by one of the exits drew her attention, and Integra was quick enough to see an altercation between Kitty's ex and her current date move outside. No one else seemed to have noticed. Integra sighed. She didn't think that was going to end well, and given that there were mutants involved, it probably wouldn't be quite either. They didn't need the prom turning into another reason for regular humans to dislike mutants. She had a vested interested in avoiding anti-mutant riots while she was stuck here.

Alucard realized her intentions and steered them towards the exit. As the song ended, the two of them slipped out the door. It was not hard to find Kitty and her suitors. The ex-boyfriend was clearly ready to fight, and it looked like Wisdom was barely holding on to his temper. Kitty looked torn between being upset that this was happening and being exasperated that the idiots couldn't just leave things alone. Integra was simply annoyed. And she wasn't going to put up with this either.

So Integra walked into the line of fire between the two males and glared at them both.

"As sorry as I am to interrupt your pissing contest, I have no intention of having to explain to the police why the prom was interrupted by a pair of oversexed males without any common sense and with various destructive capabilities. So you two are going to stand down and either go back to the party and enjoy yourselves or leave. Any complaints about this may be addressed to my vampire, who is currently rather bored and has been looking for some entertainment. Am I understood?"

Integra didn't glance back at Alucard. She was sure he was being impressively ominous by the way the three mutants were looking at her. Wisdom had no problems backing down on her orders. The other one, Lance if she remembered correctly, took a little more time, but he wisely decided not to make a fuss either. He walked off into the night grumbling, and Integra waved Kitty and Wisdom back into the school building. She wanted to make sure Lance was not coming back before she took her leave of the dance.

When it was clear that he wasn't coming back, Integra turned to her vampire.

"Shall we find some real entertainment?"

Alucard laughed and once again offered her his arm.


	20. My Favorite Things

**My Favorite Things**

If Integra saw anyone with a camera, she was going to kill them. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. It was bad enough that she had to wear this ridiculous costume, but if anyone took pictures of her in it, there would be blood. While it was true that the pink party dress was the worst of her costumes for the play, Integra would have just as well gone without any of them. Opening night was tomorrow, and they were on the second act of the dress rehearsal. It was going well thankfully, but people's stress levels were still rather high.

Integra was not nervous, but she was going to be glad when this was all over. It would be something of a relief. And it would mean she had only two more months here in America. School would get out in June, and Integra had plans to be back in Britain by the end of that month. She would have a lot of work to do once she arrived, and she didn't want to put it off. Of course, first she had to survive this play. She scanned the back stage corridor for Rogue. The mutant had been cast as Sister Sophia, and they often spent their time offstage together.

Kitty had also been cast in the play. She was only a party guest to her disappointment, but she had somehow found herself in charge of the children backstage, and she was rather enjoying that. All three of them were ready for opening night, and it finally seemed like the rest of the cast was as well. So far there had been a minimum of the normal idiocy and mistakes. Hopefully, they could get through the performances just as well as this rehearsal. Integra was rather glad that there only would be four performances. She wasn't sure she could stay sane through two weekends of performances.

She found Rogue perched back behind on the stage entrances, watching the scene playing out.

"How's it going?"

"No major mistakes so far." Rogue smiled. "We might actually get out of here one time for once."

It would probably be the first time they got out of practice on time if it did happen. There was a history of things going wrong at the last minute. Still, a girl could hope. Integra had a few shopping errands she wanted to get done before heading back the mansion. Among other things, her birthday was coming up, and Integra had some plans to treat herself. A girl wasn't eighteen every day after all. Hopefully, she could avoid the mansion wide party she'd seen thrown for some of the other students. All Integra really wanted was a nice dinner, chocolate, and some peace and quite. With Alucard around, she wasn't likely to get the last, but the first two should be manageable. Integra's one regret was that eighteen wasn't the drinking age in America. It would have been nice to go out to bar and get a drink or two. It wouldn't be the first time she drank, but she would now be legal. Besides, a drink might do her some good.

While they didn't quite end on time, there was still plenty of time for Integra to run her errands. She didn't think she would have time to deal them over the weekend. There would be four performances of the play: Friday night, Saturday matinee, Saturday night, and Sunday matinee. After the Sunday matinee there would be a cast and crew party. It was going to be quite busy, though Integra was rather looking forward to it. For one thing, it would be over and done with. For another, Integra would admit to enjoying theater. This wasn't exactly her favorite sort of production, but it was still enjoyable.

Friday morning Integra woke feeling that something wasn't quite right. However, there was no vampire in her room and Jean was still asleep. Integra didn't dismiss the feeling exactly, but it wasn't an immediate concern. She would just have to stay alert. Integra didn't often had these almost premonition like feelings, but she knew well enough not to ignore them. And given her life there was always the chance that things would and could go to hell in a hand basket.

Integra, Rogue, and Kitty arrived at the theater with plenty of time to spare. The women's dressing rooms could get a little cramped when everyone was in them, and they had decided to arrive early, so they could take their time getting things ready. Some of their fellow cast members were there as well, but there were only a handful of them. It meant that when the rest of the cast began trickling in, Integra could duck out of the dressing rooms and find a quiet spot in the wings backstage to wait for things to begin.

The craziness of backstage was not something most people expected. There was a lot of work behind the scenes to put on any sort of production, let alone one the size of _The Sound of Music_. It also didn't help that this would be the first production using the schools new sound equipment. Thankfully, most of the technical glitches had been worked out during rehearsals, but there was always the chance for last minute emergencies. And those could be more than just technical. But so far, so good. There had been no major fiascos yet, and it looked like they would open the show without a hitch. Where the show went from there would be up to the actors.

A sense of anticipation fell over the cast backstage as the opening music started. This was really happening. Integra made her way over to the other Von Trapp children. Their entrance was not for another few scenes, but it wouldn't hurt to get in place. Everyone was lined up and ready for their cue long before it was time to go on. Finally, the captain blew the whistle, and they all trooped onto the stage.

Integra found that once she was onstage, things progressed rather quickly. It didn't take long for her to feel at ease in her role, and despite her personal opinion of the character she played (Lisle could use a good dose of backbone and some interests outside of boys), the audience seemed pleased with the performance. They had gotten all the way through the first act before she knew it. Integra switched into the first of her costumes for the next act and took a chance to get a drink during the break. So far it had gone remarkably well. There had been one flubbed line that she noticed, but that has been smoothed over quite easily.

The second act began, and before too long, Integra found herself making her bows. She was rather surprised at the amount of applause she got. Afterwards, the cast was supposed to hang around the stage some so that those who wanted to talk to them or give them praise could easily find them. Integra quickly found herself accosted by an all too familiar young man. Integra warily took the bouquet of red and black roses Alucard thrust into her arms. She hadn't invited him tonight. In fact, she hadn't told him when the performances were.

"Someone had to come and make sure you got flowers for your debut performance." He smirked at her. "Besides, Master, what it something had happened? You couldn't exactly carry a weapon on you since you're changing costumes all the time."

He had a point, but Integra wasn't about it admit it. There was no need to stroke the vampire's ego or give him the upper hand. She frowned a little when she saw Rogue deep in conversation with Remy and a blond that Integra didn't recognize. Given all three of their tense postures, something was wrong. And given just who Remy LeBeau was, Integra was willing to trust that when he thought something was wrong, it probably was. She scanned the room for possible threats and came up with nothing.

"Alucard?" she asked softly.

The vampire slid an arm about her waist. "There are no threats within these walls, Master. Nor immediately without."

Time to find out what the problem was then. The teenager and her vampire made their way over to the pair of mutants and their friend. Remy looked around before speaking in a low voice, gesturing to the blond girl at his side.

"This is Belladonna Boudreaux, the daughter of the head of the Assassin's Guild. Bella, this is Sir Hellsing and her vampire."

Bella nodded. "My father asked me to contact you. We have been approached by members of the Council of Twelve to assassinate Sir Hellsing. Of course, we're also not stupid. It would be a suicide mission and would end badly for us. Father refused the contract. However, that doesn't mean others won't."

Integra nodded. The news was unexpected though not precisely surprising. Walter had some suspicions about something like this.

"And you are informing me of this because?"

Bella gave her a wry smile. "When something does happen, we would prefer that the Guild not need to be concerned. You know that we have refused the contract, so there will be no need to look towards us for the culprits."

Integra could understand that. If something should ever happen to her, the aftermath could be very messy. And being thought responsible would be very bad for one's health.

"I appreciate the warning. Please thank your father for his consideration."

Bella nodded. "I will. I'll see you this summer, Rogue. I'm sure you'll love New Orleans."

The assassin made her exit. Rogue gave Integra a half smile.

"Given your response, I guess people trying to kill you isn't all that uncommon."

"Not really, no." Integra sighed. "In this case, it was simply confirmation of something we had already suspected. When I get home, hopefully Walter will be able to give me the names of the people who contacted the assassins. I like to know who my enemies are. It makes them easier to deal with."

"And I thought the X-Men had problems."

Integra just shrugged. "You collect a different sort of enemy in my position. Unfortunately, mine are more likely to attempt to kill me than yours. It's one of the reasons that I'm not paranoid."

"No, they actually are out to kill you." Rogue smiled. "I think we're done here for the night. The professor said if we wanted to go out to dinner afterwards it would be fine. What do you think?"

It sounded much preferable than going back to the mansion and dealing with other people before bed. Integra was surprised by how much the performance had taken out of her.

"That sounds fine."

"Great. Let me grab Kitty, and we can change and go."

Integra headed back to the dressing room to change into regular clothes. So, someone on the Council of Twelve didn't want her to come back from America. Integra smiled. They were going to be very disappointed in a just a few months.


	21. Homeward Bound

**Homeward Bound**

Integra did her best not to roll her eyes. She had been ambushed upon arriving home from school. At least it seemed that Rogue had a hand in the planning of her birthday party, and things hadn't gone too overboard. She had been impressed by the cake though. Someone had the novel idea to get a cake frosted with black frosting and there was the design of bats against a full moon as well as a number of red eyes. Integra would have been interested to hear the conversation with the bakery that produced this result.

Truthfully, it was not the worse party that she could have been thrown, and some of the birthday gifts had been quite thoughtful. Rogue and Kitty as well as Kurt had all gotten her gear to go with her motorcycle. While Integra doubted she would have as many opportunities to use the machine when she got back to Britain, she fully intended to use it when she could. Though some of them had been quite silly as well such as the copy of _The Vampire Survival Guide_. Most of the things in the book were not all that helpful, but it was amusing to some extent. Walter had sent her a new set of hand guns engraved with her name and the Hellsing motto. Integra had yet to see her gift from Alucard yet, but knowing her vampire, something would turn up.

Thankfully, the surprise party took care of any obligation on the Xavier Institute's part to celebrate her birthday leaving the evening free for Integra's own plans. She was treating herself to a nice dinner out and some very decadent desserts. It was the least she could do for herself. Still, Integra was in a fairly good mood. Her birthday meant that she had five more weeks here at the most. It wouldn't be much longer before she was back where she belonged. While Integra would admit that it had been an interesting and informative year, she was more than ready to get back to work. Walter might have kept her up to date on what had been happening in England, it was not the same as being there. She would have some catching up to do.

When Integra exited the restaurant that evening, she found her vampire perched on her motorcycle waiting for her. Integra simply raised an eyebrow. Alucard smirked.

"My master looks quite pleased with herself. Have you had a good birthday?"

"What do you want, Alucard?"

"I have a gift for you."

Integra would admit to being mildly suspicious when it came to Alucard's gifts. Sometimes they ended up being quite helpful, and sometimes they were more trouble than they were worth.

"Oh?"

The smirk widened, and he beckoned her closer. Integra came reluctantly. From somewhere behind him, Alucard produced a sheathed sabre. Integra reached for the grip and found it fit her hand perfectly. Without hesitation, she drew the sword. The blade came cleanly out of the sheath with barely a whisper of sound. The sword was perfectly balanced, and when she tested the blade against her thumb, she found it was razor sharp. It was a magnificent weapon and one that serve her quite well.

"Thank you, Alucard." She didn't say more than that, but then, she didn't really need to. Alucard understood.

The school year was clearly winding down now. Integra found that there was yet another hoop to jump through before she could go home: graduation. Integra probably would have skipped it if she had the choice, but unfortunately, attendance was mandatory for Institute students. Integra found it rather redundant, but at least it didn't require too much on her part. School had a fairly simple wrap up. Besides graduation, the other major event was handing the yearbooks. Once that had been done there was a school wide yearbook signing party for the last thirty minutes of that day. A surprising amount of people actually wanted to sign her yearbook.

Integra was less than pleased to find several pictures of herself in the yearbook. The ones from the prom and the Halloween dance were fine, but why did they have to include the ones of her in the ridiculous pink dress for the play? Surely there had to be better pictures from the play than that. The school year coming to a close meant that Integra was busier. She had arrangements to make with Walter for her return and needed to tie up any left over loose ends with the Bayville Police Department. It also meant taking an inventory of all of things she had accumulated over the year and figuring out what she was taking back with her and what needed to be gotten rid of.

She found graduation to actually be rather boring. Their keynote speaker was not especially interesting, and the valedictorian and salutatorian spouted the standard graduation speeches. At least they were outside rather than being stuck in a stuffy gym. When the whole ordeal finally ended, Integra quickly got away from the celebrating throng. She didn't exactly have the same sense of exuberating and celebration as the rest of the students here. That was all right though. Integra had other things to do, and she could really use some peace and quiet for a change. Walter had chartered a private plane for her flight back, and she would leaving next week.

As Integra started her packing, several of the other students at the institute began dropping by her room, often to give her things. For the most part it was photographs they thought she would like. However, Rogue put together a collection of Integra's sketches from their art class and had them bound in a notebook. The extra items were added to Integra's luggage. She was grateful she didn't need to worry about commercial baggage limits. Somehow in her time here, Integra had accumulated much more stuff than she had arrived with. As it was, she had to get a few boxes to pack some of it in. However, most of the clothes she had bought while here would be donated to charity. She had no need of them anymore.

There were, of course, some things that she couldn't get out of. A final interview with Xavier and a farewell party were some of them. Xavier seemed to have mixed feelings about her leaving. On the one hand, it was clear that he could do without the headaches she had caused him. However, he was still convinced that she was a mutant, and he truly wanted to help her learn to control her powers. The man truly had good intentions even if Integra found him rather ineffective. Integra was just thankful that the man realized he had no chance of persuading her to stay.

The party was also tolerable. Truthfully, it was more of an excuse for the students to have a party than anything else. Integra accepted people's well wishes and nibbled at the cake. Logan came over to join her.

"Well, kid, it's been interesting, but I have a feeling that you're glad to be going home."

Integra nodded. "I have appreciated your help over the last year. It has made living here much more manageable."

"Not a problem, kid. Just do me a favor and don't relocate permanently. We have enough excitement around here as it is."

"I do not think that will be a problem." Integra smiled. There was no way that Hellsing would ever relocate to America.

Once the party had wrapped up, Integra returned to her room to make her final preparations. She would be leaving first thing in the morning. Walter had located a small airport nearby, so she need not go all the way into New York City to catch her flight. It meant that she didn't have to be up at the crack of dawn the next day to catch her flight. Integra's last night at the Institute was not anything special. She slept well, and the next morning found her supervising the loading of her luggage into the Institute's van. Another benefit of having a private flight was the ability to dispense with such things as customs. Walter had taken care of arranging that as well.

Logan drove Integra out to the airport then took his leave of them. It didn't take Integra long to get settled on board, and she pulled out the latest dossier that Walter had prepared for her. She wanted to know exactly what the current state of things at Hellsing was when she landed. Alucard stopped bothering her after she had thrown several things at him. Despite her concentration on her work, Integra dozed off at some point and woke only when the plane began its decent. It was close to ten in London. Walter met them at the airport.

Integra greeted her butler with a warm smile. She had missed the man greatly.

"Welcome home, Sir Integra."

"Thank you, Walter."

"I've arranged for dinner for you once we arrive back at the mansion as well as a briefing with your commanders. I know that you have been kept informed of Hellsing's activities, but I knew you might have some questions for them."

"Very good, Walter."

Alucard disappeared once they reached the mansion. Integra assumed he'd gone to his quarters. As long as he wasn't bothering her, she didn't really care right now. Integra headed straight for her office. She seated herself behind her desk and reached for the report waiting for her. Walter appeared moments later with a cup of tea and to inform her that dinner would be ready within twenty minutes. Integra smiled. It was now good to be home. She turned her attention to the report of Walter's findings during the time she was gone; hopefully, he knew just who had tried to have her killed. She had some ideas about what to do about that. Integra sipped her tea and began to read. It was time to get back to work.


End file.
